Michael Black

Michael Black is a leading researcher in computer vision and human body modeling. He is a founding director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen, Germany, where he leads the Perceiving Systems department. He holds concurrent academic appointments as Honorarprofessor at the University of Tübingen, Adjunct Professor (Research) in Computer Science at Brown University, and Visiting Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University.

• B.Sc., University of British Columbia (1985)
• M.S., Stanford University (1989)
• Ph.D., Yale University (1992)

His research centers on the mathematical representation of human body shape, with applications in computer vision, graphics, and neuroscience. He has pioneered methods for analyzing body shape variation using statistical models derived from 3D body scans and has developed techniques for estimating body shape from commodity sensors. His work bridges geometry, perception, and machine learning to enable machines to understand human form and behavior.

His publications and research have significantly influenced the field of computer vision, particularly in shape modeling and pose estimation, with long-standing contributions to both theoretical and applied aspects. His work integrates broad disciplines such as machine learning, imaging, and human-computer interaction.

• IEEE Computer Society Outstanding Paper Award (1991)
• Honorable Mention for the Marr Prize (1999)
• Honorable Mention for the Marr Prize (2005)
• 2010 Koenderink Prize for Fundamental Contributions in Computer Vision

Michael Black has advised numerous students and researchers through his roles at Brown University and the Max Planck Institute, though specific names are not listed. He has led major research initiatives and secured significant funding through his leadership in the Perceiving Systems department. His work continues to drive innovation in intelligent systems that perceive and interpret human behavior.

He leads the Perceiving Systems department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, a multidisciplinary team focused on vision, learning, and human-centered computing. The group integrates computer vision, machine learning, and 3D modeling to develop systems that understand human shape, motion, and behavior.