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MIT Technology Review, “35 Innovators Under 35”
profile by Julia Sklar ’14
Science & Technology
Ehsan Hoque: MIT Technology Review ‘Innovator under 35’
M. Ehsan Hoque, an assistant professor of computer science, is pictured with sample data from ROCSpeak, a platform that allows users to record speech on a browser and receive automated feedback. (University photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Ehsan Hoque, assistant professor of computer science, is in rare company. The editors of MIT Technology Review have named Hoque one of this year’s “innovators under 35”—an honor that has previously gone to the likes of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the cofounders of Google; Mark Zuckerberg, the cofounder of Facebook; and Jonathan Ive, the chief designer of Apple.
Hoque, who is also an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and an assistant director for research outreach at the University’s Goergen Institute for Data Science, is being recognized for his cutting-edge work in human-computer interaction.
Hoque is interested in understanding the secret code of human behavior that is, in the words of anthropologist Edward Sapir, “written nowhere, known by none, and understood by all.” He applies a computational lens to understand and model the ambiguity that language, facial expressions, gestures, and intonation introduce in human communication. In addition to expanding the understanding of human behavior, Hoque developed new systems that allow individuals to practice and receive feedback on social skills in a repeatable, objective, and respectful way; help musicians practice singing vowels; and provide live feedback public speakers, while they’re engaged with audiences.
“The area of human-computer interaction is exciting because it allows us to develop a bridge between artificial intelligence and humanity,” said Hoque. “The way we smile, pause, speak and look at someone can reveal a great deal about the point we’re trying to get across. Much of my work involves developing systems that allow computers to engage in communication in a very natural way.”