CV Amitash Ojha

RESEARCH INTEREST

Creativity and reasoning: Understanding cognitive process involved in the creativity, modeling creativity support tools and design process

Visual Metaphor: Theory of Visual Metaphors, Behavioral and Brain imaging studies on multimodal metaphors

Multimodal Communication: Multimodal interaction and effect on cognition and learning, empirical research on effective multimodal communication, gestures and facial expressions

Education, Intelligence: Alternative methods of determining intelligence and developing multimodal instructional material for better learning

Augmented Cognition: Modeling emotions and intention using various sensors (GSR, Temperature, Heartbeat) for augmented cognition.

EDUCATION and TRAINING

2013: PhD in Cognitive Science International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, India
Thesis Title: An Experimental Study on Visual Metaphor Advisor: Prof. Bipin Indurkhya

2007: Master in Philosophy University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
Degree with 9.75/10 (Gold Medal) Subjects: Logic, Philosophy of Mind, Science and Language, Indian Philosophy

2002: Bachelor of Commerce Patna University, Patna, India
Degree: 65% with Honors Subjects: Accounting, Economics, Auditing

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2013 – 2016: PostDoctoral Fellow School of Electronics and Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Korea. Involved in alternative methods (Brain imaging and bio sensors) to determine intelligence and augmented cognition based on emotion and intention recognition

May 2011 – July 2011: Visiting Fellow at Gestion de Scientifique, Ecole des Mines, Paris, France. Worked with Prof. Armand Hatchuel and his team to explore the creativity in design process.

July 2009 – November 2009: Research Fellow Short Stay Fellow at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Worked with Prof. Frans Verstraten, Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Conducted eye-movement studies to explore the role of perceptual process during visual metaphor comprehension.

TEACHER EXPERIENCE

Feb 2014 – June 2016: Co-Instructor Artificial Brain Research Lab, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea

Nov 2010 – July 2013: Lecturer International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, India

Jan 2013 – June 2013: Visiting Faculty B. V. Raju Institute of Engineering College, JNTU, Hyderabad, India

COURSES DESIGNED and TAUGHT (Graduate and Undergraduate level)

Introduction and Cognitive Science: Fall 2011, Fall 2012 (IIIT-H), Spring 2013 (JNTU);

Philosophy of Mind: Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Sprint 2013 (IIIT-H);

Usability Engineering: Spring 2013 (IIIT-H);

Brain and Engineering: Spring 2014, Spring 2016 (KNU).

RESEARCH SKILLS and COMPETENCIES

Eye-tracking studies Conducting Eye-movement studies using various eye tracking devices. Good with SR Research, Tobii, SMI and Eye-Tribe eye trackers.

Brain imaging (EEG, fMRI, fNIRS) Conducting EEG and fMRI studies on creativity and intelligence. Good with SPM tool, coherence, PLV and band oscillation analysis using MATLAB (EEG lab, ERP lab).

Creativity support Tool Building creativity support system to generate new ideas and metaphors for various domains.

Computational modeling of Gestalt Conducting experiments on the role of gestalt principles in part to whole image Principles recognition and building computational models for image recognition system.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Programming: Python, Perl

Operating systems: Macintosh, Linux, Windows

Others: HTML

Eye Tracker: SR Research, SMI and Tobii remote eye trackers

EEG: Coherence, PLV, Band oscillation analysis using MATLAB (EEG lab, ERP lab)

fMRI: SPM analysis tool

Psychology software: Direct RT, E-prime, Psychopy, Presentation Statistical analysis: SPSS, MATLAB

AWARD and RECOGNITIONS

Best Poster paper award: 10th AEARU workshop in 2015 by AEARU at University of Tsukuba, Japan

Best student paper award: Best student paper award at 2nd analogy conference in 2009 by Cognitive Science Society at Sophia University, Sophia, Bulgaria

Gold Medal: Gold Medal for academic achievements in Philosophy by University of Hyderabad, 2007

PUBLICATION and CONFERENCES

Peer Reviewed Journals

To appear and submitted:

Kang, J., Ojha, A., Lee, G., Lee, M., (to appear) An integrated audio-visual emotion understanding system based on cognitive model of emotion processing, Integrated computer-aided engineering.
Ojha, A., Indurkhya, B., Gola, E., Lee, M. (submitted), Role of language in metaphorical interpretation of images. Metaphor and Symbol
Ojha, A., Lee, G., Kang, J., Lee, M. (submitted), Assessment of cognitive processing during encoding and retrieval mechanisms by intelligent individuals in linguistic and visuo-spatial tasks based on pupil and eye blink features.

2017

Indurkhya, B., Ojha, A. (2017), Interpreting visual metaphors: Asymmetry and Poetics Today. Vol. 38 (1), 93-121
Ojha, A., Indurkhya, B., Kang, J., Lee, M. (2017), Individuals with higher intelligence level allocate more resources for creative tasks: Insights from a pupillometry study. Journal of creativity research. (29)1, 78-85
Kang, J., Ojha, A., Lee, G., Lee, M (2017). Difference in brain activation patterns of individuals with high and low intelligence in language and visuo spatial tasks: An EEG coherence study. International Journal of Intelligence. (61)1, 47-55

2015

Lee, G., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2015), Modulation of resource allocation by intelligent individuals in linguistic, mathematical and visuo-spatial tasks, International Journal of psychophysiology, 97 (1), 14-22
Kim, B., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2015), Active glass-type human augmentation cognition system considering attention and intention. International Journal of Connection Science. (pp1-8)

2013

Indurkhya, B., & Ojha, A. (2013). An Empirical Study on the Role of Perceptual Similarity in Visual Metaphors and Creativity. Metaphor and Symbol, 28(4), 233253.

Book Chapters:

To appear: Ojha, A., Indurkhya, B., Lee, M. (to appear) Is Language Necessary to Interpret Visual Metaphors: fMRI Study in Elisabetta, G. & Francesca, E. (Eds.): Volume on metaphors, De Guyter, Germany

2016: Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2016), On the role of perceptual features in metaphor In Elisabetta, G. & Francesca, E. (Eds.): Metaphor and Communication, John Benjamin, Amsterdam. (pp-147-169)

2015: J, Ojha, A., Lee, M. (2015) Concentration monitoring with high accuracy but low cost EEG device. In Sabri, A., Tingwen, H., Weng, K., Qingshan, L (Eds.) Neural Information Processing, part 4. (pp-54-60), Springer

2013:

Shen, J., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2013). Role of Gestalt Principles in Selecting Attention Areas for Object Recognition. In Neural Information Processing (pp. 90-97). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Jo, H., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2013). A Study on Region of Interest of a Selective Attention Based on Gestalt Principles. In Neural Information Processing (pp. 41 48). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

2011: Bhatt, R., Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B.(2011). Interpretation of Metaphors with perceptual features using wordnet. D. Harris (Eds) Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, HCI 201, LNAI 6781, pp. 21-27

2009: Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2009) Perceptual vs conceptual similarities and creation of new features in visual metaphors. In Kokinov, B., Holyoak, K. & Gentner, D. (eds) New frontiers in Analogy research. Sofia: NBU Press. pp: 348: 357 (Best paper award)

2008 : Indurkhya, B., Kattalay, K., Ojha, A., & Tandon, P. (2008). Experiments with a creativity-support system based on perceptual similarity.New Trends in Software Methodologies, Tools and Techniques: SoMeT_08, (182, 316

International Conference Publications:

2015:

Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2015), I-get: a creativity assistance tool to generate perceptual pictorial metaphors, In the proceedings of HAI2015, Korea and ACM
Ojha, A., Lee, M. (2015). Visual vs. Verbal metaphor comprehension: an fMRI study, in the proceedings of 15th China-Japan-Korea joint workshop on Neurobiology and Neurinformatics, Busan, Korea
Kang, J., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2015), Development of intelligent learning tool for improving foreign language skills based on EEG and eye tracker. In the proceeding of HAI2015, Korea and ACM DL
Lee, M., Ojha, A., Kim, J. (2015) Perception-action cycle based interaction understanding in artificial agents. In the proceedings of 6th annual international conference of Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA), Lyon, France
Ojha, A., & Lee, M., (2015), Being Creative with computers: A case of perceptual In the books of 10th AEARU workshop, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Lee, G., Ojha, A., & Lee, M. (2015), Recognition of intelligence based on bio-signals. In the books of 10th AEARU workshop, University of Tsukuba, Japan

2014:

Kang, J.S., Ojha, A. & Lee, M. (2014) Recognizing high intelligent individuals using EEG coherence, Brain interface workshop, POSTECH, Korea
Ojha, A., Lee, M. (2014) Recognition of anomaly in visual metaphor comprehension, Brain interface workshop, POSTECH, Korea
Shen, J., Ojha, A., & Lee, M.,(2014), Modeling gestalt principle in human visual attention selection for object recognition. Annual symposium of Brain Engineering Society of Korea, Korea
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2014) In the proceedings of Research and Applying Metaphor (RaAM) conference, Cagliari, Italy

2013: Ojha, A., Forceville, C. & Indurkhya, B. (2013). Role of pictorial runes and their role in emotions, In the proceedings of Research and Applying Metaphor (RaAM), Poznan, Poland.

2012: Gollapudi, S. & Ojha, A. (2012). Text, Table and Graph – which is faster & more accurate to understand?. In the proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Technology for Education, TRE, Hyderabad.

2011:

Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2011) Role of imagery in multimodal metaphors, International conference on design principles, Rome, Italy
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2011) From percepts to concepts: A perception- based model of metaphor processing, In the proceedings of Metaphor and communication, Cagliari, Italy,
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2011) Attention in visual metaphors, In the proceedings of Interaction summer conference, Greece

2010:

Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2010) Role of perceptual features in imagery while comprehending visual metaphors, In the proceedings of Research and Applying metaphors conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (PhD Prize)
Zaidi, S., Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2010) The effect of color on retrieval of textual information, Perception 39 ECVP Abstract Supplement, page 87
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya,, B. (2010) Role of perceptual similarity in comprehending visual metaphors: Evidences from eye movement study, in the proceedings of International conference on cognitive science, Beijing, China
Ojha, A. (2010) Cultural background and visual metaphors, International and Interdisciplinary conference, New Delhi India, published in the National journal of philosophy and religion)
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2010) Pictorial metaphors and Perception: a case of relational shift, Conference on cognitive development, CBCS, Allahabad

2009:

Schwering, A., Kuhnberger, K., Krumnack, U., Gust, H., Wandmacher, T., Indurkhya, B. & Ojha, A. (2009) A computational model for visual metaphors: Interpreting creative visual advertisemensts. in the proceedings of ICAART, Portugal,
Ojha, A. & Indurkhya, B. (2009) Reversibility in visual metaphors, RaAM conference, 2009, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2009
Ojha A, Indurkhya B, (2009), “Role of perceptual similarity in anchoring creation of conceptual similarities and interpretation of visual metaphors” Perception 38 ECVP Abstract Supplement, page 169