Hemal Naik

Dr. Hemal Naik is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Ecology of Animal Societies. His research focuses on developing computer vision and AI solutions for ecological and wildlife conservation challenges, particularly using UAVs and 3D tracking technologies. He leads the MELA project studying lekking behavior in Blackbucks and co-developed the SMART-BARN facility for 3D tracking of birds. Naik holds a PhD in Computer Science from TU Munich, with prior industry experience in biomedical engineering and software development.

• Affiliations: Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Akademie Schloss Solitude (Cooperation Fellow)
• Education:
  • PhD (Computer Science), TU Munich (2014–2020)
  • Masters in Biomedical Computing, TU Munich (2010–2013)
  • Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering, DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai (2004–2008)

Naik’s research interests span computer vision applications in ecology, drone-based wildlife monitoring, and 3D posture tracking. He co-created the 3D-POP dataset and pioneered markerless tracking methods for birds. His work bridges science and art through collaborations with institutions like Merz Akademie and Akademie Schloss Solitude, producing projects like 'Encounters with the Wild' and mentoring art-science initiatives like 'Backpack of Wings.'

Grants and Projects: PI of MELA project, SMART-BARN infrastructure development, and Siberian Jay tracking in Sweden. Active in science outreach via pop-science articles and public talks.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Vivek H Sridhar, Akanksha Rathore, and teams at MPI-AB, CASCB, and international researchers in Sweden. Leads the MELA initiative and SMART-BARN facility operations.