Umar Patel
Software Developer for XR/UX Design
Specializing in Virtual & Augmented Reality, App/Web Development, and Data Science Research
Experience
Software Developer & UX Research at Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
Sept 2024 – Present
- Developed a public policy web framework at Stanford's Digital Economy Lab utilizing FlutterFlow and Firebase for robust backend support, enabling user login, political deliberation, and interactive chat features using a GPT-based API.
- Implemented a user forum for posting, upvoting, and downvoting comments, enhancing community engagement and discussion on political issues.
- Created real-time visualizations to display user votes and opinions, facilitating live insights into deliberation outcomes.
- Successfully deployed and tested the platform with over 300 participants at major HAI conference.
Virtual Reality Software Developer at David Rumsey Map Center
June 2024 – August 2024
- Developed an augmented reality historical map application for Apple Vision Pro using SwiftUI, RealityKit, and MapKit API, enabling interactive exploration of Paris's historical and modern landscapes incorporating a highly interactable map experience alongside immersive gallery space for historical presentations.
- Engineered a georeferenced overlay integrating dynamic pop-ups and image galleries, enhancing user engagement with 30+ points of interest over 20 city regions.
- Designed and tested interactive UI features including POI interactions and map view transitions, refining usability based on comprehensive user feedback.
NLP Research Intern at Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis
Jan 2023 – August 2024 || Jan 2021 – September 2021
- Developed and enhanced Arabic Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) models using TrOCR, optimizing data preparation and training techniques, and experimented with pretrained models like AraBERT to improve parsing.
- Created, analyzed, and leveraged diverse datasets for semantic and accuracy metrics across multiple translation types, including machine translation for Ottoman Turkish using BERT, Stanza, and Llama 2.
- Implemented advanced NLP techniques for semantic similarity, document comparison, author identification, and translation accuracy, particularly focusing on Ottoman political texts and Arabic handwriting.
- Conducted comprehensive testing and adaptation of models to improve generalization and performance on corpora-sparse languages by examining language patterns and morphological structures.
XR Research Intern at Stanford Human Computer Interaction Lab
June 2023 – September 2023
- Developed a multimodal XR iOS framework using SwiftUI and RealityKit for VR and AR applications, ensuring compatibility with visionOS.
- Integrated natural voice input to encode world space coordinates, annotating gaze and gesture information within user commands. Created a furniture-moving application to dynamically adjust the position and state of objects in the environment.
- Created framework to parse gesture-annotated commands using a DSL interpreter to translate input into executable functions in world space.
- Conducted extensive UI framework testing, including features such as voice-operated object state alterations, custom UI prompts for incomplete commands, dynamic object referencing, and handling multiple-object inputs and corresponding actions in world space.
Computer Vision Research Intern at SLAC National Accelerator Lab
June 2022 – September 2022
- Developed an advanced image segmentation model using Detectron2, Attention U-Net, and CNNs to identify and analyze regions of interest within ceramic cross-sections, facilitating material and compositional analysis.
- Utilized software libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, OpenCV, and LabelMe for programming and data processing, ensuring efficient computational workflows.
Unity Developer Intern at the University of Toronto (Part-Time)
June 2022 – September 2022
- Developed a 3D interactive research space for early modern Ottoman geographical works using Unity 3D.
- Implemented virtual educational map-making and geography-based experiences to enhance learning.
- Created interactive UI experiences, educational walkthroughs, and meditative interfaces within virtual exhibit spaces.
Virtual Reality Intern at the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VRITS Program)
September 2021 – May 2022
- Created immersive virtual reality educational environments using Unity and Blender to support research projects.
- Developed first-person VR experiences, including guided walkthroughs with interactable avatars and elements, optimizing user interaction and engagement.
