Nokia announces 2020 Bell Labs Prize winners
Press Release
Nokia announces 2020 Bell Labs Prize winners
The 2020 Bell Labs Prize awarded to University of Pennsylvania Associate Professor for a groundbreaking system that uses deep neural network optical chips as a platform for artificial intelligence
The optical-based system has the potential to revolutionize neural networks, especially in the field of image and video recognition by achieving orders of magnitude faster processing and at lower power
3 December 2020
Murray Hill, New Jersey - Nokia today held a virtual awards ceremony and announced the winners of the 2020 Bell Labs Prize, a competition that recognizes disruptive innovations that will define the next industrial revolution. Proposals were received from 208 academics in 26 countries, and Firooz Aflatouni, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at University of Pennsylvania, received $100,000 for winning the competition with his proposal for Integrated Photonic-mmWave Deep Networks.
The 2020 Bell Labs Prize competition launched in March 2020 and finalists were announced in June 2020. Each finalist was assigned both a leader from the Nokia Bell Labs research team and a research mentor, and they worked together to advance their innovations throughout the year. Proposals were presented in front of a panel of renowned experts and industry leaders who judged the proposals based on a credible proof-of-concept or set of results that validate the innovation's full potential. The judges selected three winners based on the demonstrated disruptive potential of their work:
The first-place prize ($100k) was awarded to Firooz Aflatouni, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, for his proposal Integrated Photonic-mmWave Deep Networks . Using deep neural network photonic chips as a platform for artificial intelligence, his system has demonstrated that image and video recognition in the optical domain brings a wealth of possibilities for the future. Photonic platforms interpret and recognize images at the speed of light, some six billion times a second, making them significantly faster than today's digital computational platforms. The system is small, all-optical, energy-efficient and low-cost, making it easy to incorporate into a myriad of other solutions such as embedded AI in camera systems.
The second-place prize ($50k) was awarded to Sanjeev Arora, Professor in Computer Science, Princeton University, and his teammates, Yangsibo Huang (Ph.D. student at Princeton University), Kai Li (Professor of Department of Computer Science at Princeton University) and Zhao Song (Postdoc Researcher at Princeton University). Their proposal How to allow deep learning on your data without revealing your data solves a significant problem with the lack of privacy in machine learning tools. Their InstaHide solution is a universal method for encrypting training images that is efficient to apply with only minor impact on model accuracy. This innovative approach will allow the sharing of data to fully leverage the power of machine learning models without sacrificing privacy or compromising security.
The third-place prize ($25k) was awarded to Cheng Qi, Ph.D. student at Georgia Institute of Technology, and his teammates, Francesco Amato (Post-Doctoral Researcher at Tor Vergata University in Rome, Italy) and Gregory Durgin (Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, GA), for their proposal Hyper RFID: A Revolution for The Future of RFID . Their innovative tags are based on a new type of quantum tunneling radio positioning (QTRP) system that provides highly accurate wireless positioning with an extended RFID coverage range of meters today to more than a kilometer in the future, with low-cost tags with a battery life of up to ten years. These revolutionary capabilities for RFID tags should greatly facilitate the tracking of people and assets or the navigation of autonomous drones and vehicles using drop-and-forget waypoints.
Marcus Weldon, President of Nokia Bell Labs and CTO of Nokia, said, We are on the verge of a new value paradigm of Remote X' enabled by 5G as the critical networking infrastructure that will allow the remote access to, interaction with, and intelligent control of everything, from anywhere. True to the principles of Remote X', this year's Bell Labs Prize award ceremony was held virtually and recognized the most innovative proposals, all of which have the potential to help solve critical remote' problems that are confronting humanity. We are excited to continue working with the winners to help them further develop their ideas and realize their vision.
In addition to their cash prizes, the winners will also be given the opportunity to deepen their collaboration with the world-renowned researchers at Nokia Bell Labs to develop their game-changing innovations further.
Resources
Website: Bell Labs Prize
About Nokia
We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.
Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia.
Media Inquiries:
Nokia
Communications
Phone: +358 10 448 4900
Email: press.services@nokia.com
Share
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
When MMA icons Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano meet inside the Hexagon at Intuit Do...
15/05/2026
Daniel Roher attends the Tuner Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Bar...
15/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
15/05/2026
Rebranded show announced
Ahead of their 2026 return, Music Expo have announced that they have now officially changed their name to the MONO Music Conference...
15/05/2026
Fuzz pedal joins UK companys line-up
UK-based pedal makers Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices have recently unveiled their latest creation, the Bolster. Said to pay...
15/05/2026
Joint Statement: News Bargaining Incentive
28 April, 2026
Media releases
The vibrancy of Australian democracy relies on the robust and open exchange of new...
15/05/2026
Call it Deltavision, Australia's through to the Grand Final of this year'...
15/05/2026
Join Calrec at MPTS 2026 | May 13-14 | Stand A40 | Olympia, London We're looking forward to meeting up with customers and partners at this year's Media ...
15/05/2026
86% of media planners would move more linear TV budget to CTV if they had show-level targeting and reporting - and 65% would also shift dollars from programmati...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Clear-Com will showcase new communications solutions and major platform updates at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7005), June 17-19, in the North and Central Halls of t...
15/05/2026
Following an outstanding inaugural year in 2025, Rise AV is proud to announce the return of its flagship leadership initiative, Elevate. The programme continues...
15/05/2026
Berklee Announces Lineup for Inaugural AI Music Summit The three-day event puts musicians at the center of the future of music creation, ethics, and the indus...
15/05/2026
Lightware returns to InfoComm 2026 with a focused showcase of scalable USB-C connectivity, next-generation AV-over-IP solutions, and technologies that help over...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Delivering a live, arena-scale production of a massively popular band is no small feat. Between expansive in-arena LED walls and a global live stream fed to onl...
Nokia announces 2020 Bell Labs Prize winners 
