Demystifying Vision Transformers: From Theory to Industry Insights

Abhishek Aich
NEC Laboratories

Stevenson 1300
12:00 PM

“But what are transformers? Why such a name? How do these neural networks work? Why are they everywhere right now? What propelled their widespread adoption?” In this talk, we will explore possible answers to these questions, prominently focused on computer vision (i.e. vision transformers). Next, we will delve into my current research topics at NEC Laboratories, America which includes enhancing the efficiency of vision transformers to optimize performance-computational cost trade-offs. We will also see (and appreciate) the gap between cutting-edge research and actual deployments. Finally, I will share some personal insights on doing a PhD and pursuing a research career in industry.

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