Rahul Alex Panicker es un líder tecnológico y emprendedor , ex director de innovación del Instituto Wadhwani de Inteligencia Artificial , [1] y mejor conocido como presidente y cofundador de Embrace Innovations [2] y Embrace , una empresa social emergente que tiene como objetivo para ayudar a los bebés prematuros y con bajo peso al nacer, a través de un calentador infantil de bajo costo. [3] [4]
Hasta principios de 2016, Panicker se desempeñó como presidente de Embrace Innovations , una empresa social que diseña y comercializa tecnologías sanitarias para el mundo en desarrollo, comenzando con un calentador infantil. El calentador infantil Embrace cuesta menos del 1% de una incubadora tradicional y actualmente se distribuye en clínicas de la India y en más de 15 países en desarrollo. [5] [6] [7] También es miembro del Grupo de Trabajo de Innovación en Salud de FICCI en India. [8] A partir de 2016, se ha dedicado a explorar y hablar sobre el impacto potencial de la IA y lo que las sociedades pueden hacer para prepararse para el futuro, incluso en TEDx IIT Kharagpur.
Panicker nació en Mavelikara , Kerala, India [9] de Moly y PC Mathen Panicker de Kottarakara . Asistió a Indian Community School, Kuwait, y Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Trivandrum , India, y es oriundo de Vayalikada, Thiruvananthapuram . [10]
Panicker tiene una maestría y un doctorado. del Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica de Stanford y una Licenciatura en Tecnología del Instituto Indio de Tecnología de Madras (IIT Madras), India. También es alumno de la escuela de diseño de Stanford . [11]
As part of his Ph.D. at Stanford, Panicker worked at the interface of machine learning and optics. His thesis work used machine learning techniques to demonstrate a 10 to 100 fold increase in capacity of multimode optical communication systems. His work combined convex optimization, machine learning, adaptive optics and spatial light modulators.[12] He also worked at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, applying artificial neural networks to accelerator-beam controls.
Before starting Embrace, Panicker worked briefly at Infinera Corporation. While there, he worked in a team led by co-founder, President, and member of the Infinera Board, David F. Welch, Ph.D., in the new products group, working on ultra hi-speed optical telecom systems.
In 2007, while studying at Stanford, Panicker and a few other fellow graduates were part of a class, Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability, at the d.school at Stanford University. They were asked to create a low-cost infant incubator that could be used in developing countries.[13] They designed an infant warmer that worked without electricity, was expected to be low-cost and was designed for use even by rural mothers in developing countries. After the class, they co-founded Embrace (non-profit), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, in 2008 to bring their project to life.[14] The non-profit entity, Embrace, donates infant warmers to clinics in need, and the for-profit social enterprise, Embrace Innovations, sells the warmers to other clinics.
Embrace has also been awarded the INDEX: Design to Improve Life award in 2011,[15] and the Fast Company Innovation By Design Awards, 2012,.[16][17]