Brandyn Webb, Cybernetic Epistemologist

Expertise:

Algorithm development. Architectural design of software. Novel solutions to novel problems. Specializing in artificial intelligence, neural networks, simulations, computer language design and implementation, scientific visualization, rendering, and animation. Experienced with digital and analog hardware design, mechanical engineering, and digital audio processing.

Education:

B.A. Computer Science, at age 18, UCSD

Clients:

Adobe, Apple, Xerox, San Diego Supercomputer Center, Salk Institute, Neukom Institute, General Atomic, Stardent Computers, Taco Bell, KFC, Genesis Automation, PerTek, Centrax, Rocket Science.

Languages:

Expert in C, Python, Modsim, and some assemblies. Comfortable in Java, Javascript, Objective C, C++, Smalltalk, Pascal, Fortran, Lisp, Basic, Apl, Forth, and other assemblies. Language agnostic in general.

Operating Systems:

Expert in Linux/Unix, comfortable with Mac OS, CTSS, VMS, Windows, and others. (But generally speaking I don't do Windows.)

Graphics:

Experienced with Xlib, OpenGL/GL, Pixrect, Dore, QuickDraw, SimGraphics, PostScript, and others.

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Brandyn Webb / brandyn@sifter.org

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Portfolio

Original Software

• Painteresque Photoshop Plugin
  Contribution: All algorithm design and code.
  Description: Visually compelling artistic painting effect based on properties of the early human visual system. (2007)

• Funk SVD (Netflix Prize)
  Contribution: All algorithm design and code.
  Description: Gradient-based pseudo-SVD for collaborative filtering. Transiently 3rd place in Netflix Prize competition; widely cited since in data mining literature; derivatives used for collaborative filtering by Twitter and others. (Independent research, 2006)

• Adobe Atmosphere
  Contribution: One of three principle architects and programmers (through 1999).
  Description: A user-buildable, distributed, 3d virtual environment on the internet supporting avitars, chat, and linking between worlds. (Attitude Software, LLC, 1996 to 1999; Adobe Systems, Inc, 1999 to 2001)

• Detection Engine
  Contribution: All design and code.
  Description: A software module to detect user-defined, parameterized patterns in event streams. (Centrax Corp. 1998)

• Rosetta (now Inkwell)
  Contribution: Project co-founder; Neural and Markovian algorithms development; Software design and coding.
  Description: An online hand printed character recognition system. (Apple, 1991 to 1997; See patents below; Released in Newton 2.0, 1995; Re-released in MacOS 10.2 as "Inkwell")

• ImPulse
  Contribution: All design and code.
  Description: A machine-independent, software-only, real-time graphics engine. (Demonstrated in MacOS 7.5.2's "Secret About Box", 1995)

• XPT
  Contribution: Functional description and architectural design; consult on implementation.
  Description: An ADME based, field-configurable copy-shop simulation. (Xerox/Pertek, 1992 -- implementation completed in '93 by joint team of 10 engineers)

• ADME (Application Driven Model Editor)
  Contribution: Original concept & design, project leader and head programmer for group of five.
  Description: A Modsim based simulation model editor designed to incorporate custom simulation components. Applications have ranged from restaurant simulations to analysis of paper transport in xerographic machines. (PerTek, 1991)

• Shift Planner
  Contribution: Original concept & design, all coding.
  Description: Prototype interactive work schedule planner incorporating the Out of Kilter algorithm to provide optimal shift suggestions, with dynamically updating utilization graph to visually aid shift assignment. [Productized in '93 by PerTek; Currently in deployment phase] (Taco Bell, 1991)

• Artifact
  Contribution: Original concept & design, project leader and head programmer for group of four.
  Description: A visually oriented function network editor and user interface builder allowing very rapid creation of non-passive user interfaces as well as entire applications (as was demonstrated at Siggraph 1989) with little or no knowledge of programming. (Ardent Computer, 1989)

• Feaver (Finite Element Analysis ViewER)
  Contribution: Original concept & design, project leader and head programmer for group of two.
  Description: A fully functional interpreted language supporting real-time graphical manipulation of three dimensional objects, used for rapid creation of custom scientific visualization tools. (Ardent Computer, 1988)

• Flag
  Contribution: All design and code.
  Description: A real time demonstration and animation of interactive finite element analysis. (UCSD, 1987; Ardent Computer, 1988; demonstrated at Siggraph 1988)

• Synu (Synthetic Universe)
  Contribution: Principle designer and head programmer for group of two.
  Description: An object oriented raytrace and scanline renderer supporting, among other things, accurate reflection and refraction; logical operations on solids; and logarithmic bounding algorithms for efficient raytracing. (San Diego Supercomputer Center, 1988)

• Xics
  Contribution: One of two designer/programmers. All documentation and user's manual.
  Description: Conversion software for mapping various word processor formats into Xics document format. User-tunable pattern recognition classifies ambiguous text segments. (Xerox, 1988)

• WW (Webb Windows)
  Contribution: All design and code.
  Description: A high-performance window manager for Sun workstations, supporting full color, opaque drag, and display cascading, for use in applications where Sun's "suntools" is too slow. (UCSD, 1987)

• Animon
  Contribution: All design and code.
  Description: control, sample and data processing software for laboratory experiments, featuring real time graphical displays for monitoring and adjustment purposes. (Salk Institute, 1986)

Software ports

• Dore (Dynamic Object Rendering Environment)
  Contribution: Ported Dore to a Silicon Graphics Iris workstation.
  Description: Dore is an object oriented graphics library for both interactive and production quality rendering. Approx 100,000 lines of C code. (Stardent Computer, 1989)

Original Hardware

• NU/SU32 Board
  Contribution: All design work including layout of custom gate array.
  Description: A stand alone, high-speed neural network execution board utilizing twenty four of NSI's neural chips running in parallel. Host computer communication and internal sequencing are controlled by a custom gate array. (Neural Semiconductor, 1990)

Patents

• 5,917,941 Character segmentation technique with integrated word search for handwriting recognition.
• 5,859,925 Classifying system having a single neural network architecture for multiple input representations.
• 6,842,786 Method and apparatus for remote communication of data associated with dynamically generated type object at runtime to describe the data type
• 7,502,825 Populating online forums
• 8,166,384 Environment-based bookmark media
• 8,914,443 Populating online forums

Publications

• Generalized Hebbian Algorithm for Latent Semantic Analysis, Gorrell, G. and Webb, B., Proceedings of Interspeech 2005, Lisbon, Portugal. [pdf 60K]

• Combining Neural Networks and Context-Driven Search for On-Line, Printed Handwriting Recognition in the Newton, Yaeger, L., Webb, B., Lyon, R., AI Magazine, Volume 19, No. 1, p. 73-89, AAAI (1998) [pdf 120K]

• Effective Training of a Neural Network Character Classifier for Word Recognition, Yaeger, L., Lyon, R., Webb, B., Advances in Neural Information Processsing 9 (1996 Conference Proceedings), p. 807-813, MIT Press (1997) [pdf 32K]

• Graphics
  Various images rendered by myself with Synu have been published in Communications of the ACM, Computers in Physics, Cray Channels, and Science at the San Diego Supercomputer Center.

• Marketing
  A brochure written and illustrated by myself promoting NSI's NU32/SU3232 chip set was reprinted in Defense Science, and by The Superperformance Computing Service.

Other Work Experience

• Visiting Scholar / Research Associate, Neukom Institute, Dartmouth University
  Vision and robotics research. (2007)

• Volunteer staff member, Sudbury Maui Alternative Learning Center
  Duties: One of two adults present at any given time with approximately fifteen children ranging in age from 4 to 18. Assist with administration of the school; design and compose promotional flyers and articles; teach music, math, programming, science, etc., as requested by the students; play games, chase, and jump on the trampoline...; offer sage advice knowing it will be completely ignored. (1999 to 2000)

• Social Organization Founder
  Founder of Project Sifter. Current active membership (2009) approximately 500. (1996 to present)