IIT Kanpur & NYU Tandon School of Engineering announce seven joint research projects launching their new partnership

Bengaluru, 31 July, 2024: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) and NYU Tandon School of Engineering have unveiled their inaugural roster of collaborative research projects, the first such initiatives under the broad partnership that NYU and IIT Kanpur established last year.

The seven projects, jointly led by researchers from each institution, aim to advance innovations across vital scientific fields including cybersecurity, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and wireless communications.

NYU and IIT Kanpur announced their initial partnership agreement in September 2023, against the backdrop of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit at the G20 Summit at New Delhi, India and the Association of American Universities’ push for more such collaborations. In addition to their collaborative research projects, NYU and IIT Kanpur will expand doctoral exchange opportunities and share teaching and research strategies.

President Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed the partnership in a joint statement, underscoring the high priority both nations’ leaders place on academic cooperation.

“International academic partnership improves the diversity of ideas, creates synergies, and allows collective efforts to address scientific challenges,’’ emphasized Prof. Bushra Ateeq, Dean of International Relations at IIT Kanpur . “Our partnership with NYU would foster innovation and yield solutions that improve lives globally.”

“Forging academic ties across borders is crucial for driving scientific breakthroughs, and is a central principle of how we pursue research,” said Linda Ng Boyle, NYU Tandon’s Vice Dean for Research. “Through our collaboration with IIT Kanpur, we are striving to deliver technological innovations that serve people around the world, making our planet safer, cleaner, and healthier.”

The IIT Kanpur partnership follows NYU’s 2022 launch of a formal partnership with KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), leading to joint academic research projects involving faculty from both institutions. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IIT Kanpur is another example of NYU’s global reach and desire to find and create innovation regardless of borders.

The primary research funding comes from both institutions, with additional support provided by NYU Tandon’s Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications and the NYU Center for Cybersecurity.

The seven NYU Tandon /IIT Kanpur research projects are:

1. Engineering Multivalent Assembled Protein to Mimic Hypoxia-Inducible Factor

Researchers: Jin Kim Montclare, NYU Tandon; R. Sankararamakrishnan, IIT Kanpur

The team is developing synthetic proteins that can dismantle harmful protein complexes associated with diseases like cancer. Using computer models, the scientists design optimal shapes for these multi-armed structures, which are then created and tested in the lab. The initial focus is on targeting protein complexes that promote tumor growth, with the goal of advancing cancer treatment.

2. Enhancing Quadruped Robot Motion: A Reinforcement Learning Approach for Extreme Agility, Stability, and Safety

Researchers: Farshad Khorrami, NYU Tandon; Shakti S. Gupta, IIT Kanpur

This project focuses on improving the agility, stability, and safety of four-legged robots using advanced machine learning techniques. By training robots through simulations and ensuring their movements are safe and predictable, the team hopes to enhance their ability to navigate rough and unpredictable terrain. This work could significantly expand the capabilities of legged robots in real-world environments.

3. High-Resolution Neural Interface SoC with Meta-Structure-Enhanced Wireless Power Transmission

Researchers: Hamed Rahmani, NYU Tandon; Raghvendra Chaudhary, IIT Kanpur

The team is developing a tiny, wireless system-on-chip for high-resolution brain monitoring. This device integrates innovative electromagnetic metastructures to improve wireless power delivery to a small implant. By co-designing the power, recording, and communication systems, researchers aim to dramatically increase the capabilities of neural interfaces, potentially advancing neuroscience and applications like brain-computer interfaces.

4. Leveraging Modern Vision-Language Models for Traffic Camera Scene Understanding

Researchers: Chinmay Hegde, NYU Tandon; Pranamesh Chakraborty, IIT Kanpur

This project uses advanced vision-language models to enhance understanding of traffic scenes captured by urban video cameras. The team’s approach aims to reduce the costs and complexity of training computer vision models from scratch. The collaboration involves experts in transportation and AI, aiming to develop flexible and cost-effective systems for tasks like vehicle detection and traffic incident identification, particularly in Indian traffic conditions.

5. EMI Shielded and FOD Enabled Smart Wireless EV Charging Station Powered by Renewable Energy

Researchers: Francisco De Leon, Dariusz Czarkowski, NYU Tandon; Suvendu Samanta, Gururaj Mirle Vishwanath, IIT Kanpur

The researchers are creating an intelligent, safe, and efficient wireless charging system for electric vehicles (EVs) that integrates renewable energy sources like solar power. This system will feature advanced foreign object detection, electromagnetic shielding, and the ability to manage coil misalignment. The project aims to develop a prototype and validate the system’s performance, with potential for commercialization and enhancing renewable energy utilization in EV charging.

6. Unconventional Physically Unclonable Functions for Micro-fluidics and Supply Chain Fingerprinting

Researchers: Ramesh Karri, NYU Tandon; Navajit Singh Baban, NYU Abu Dhabi; Urbi Chatterjee, IIT Kanpur

This research aims to develop unique security features called physically unclonable functions (PUFs) for authenticating microfluidic biochips and supply chain products. The goal is to improve security and authentication in medical diagnostics and supply chain management through robust, machine learning-enhanced PUF designs.

7. Programmable Cryptographic Processing Units to Enable Secure, Private, and Quantum-Proof Computing

Researchers: Brandon Reagen, NYU Tandon; Angshuman Karmakar, IIT Kanpur

This project focuses on developing advanced cryptographic techniques to ensure secure and private computation, even in the face of future quantum computing threats. The researchers will design efficient post-quantum cryptography and homomorphic encryption schemes optimized for various hardware platforms. The project seeks to make privacy-preserving technologies practical and efficient, with applications in secure authentication and machine learning, while fostering further research through open-source initiatives.