Kohei Yamamoto (山本晃平)

Solution Engineer & Researcher in
Human-Centricity and Spatiotemporality

About

Kohei YAMAMOTO (山本晃平), a Japanese solution engineer and researcher, has lived and worked in Japan and Singapore. He first ventured into computer science by programming CPU architecture during his undergraduate studies. At 21, he began to delve into locationally-micro studies, specifically wireless localisation, while collaborating with one of the internet pioneers.

Graduating at the top of his undergraduate class, he then took a one-year hiatus to explore different layers of the IT industry, gaining practical experience from a prestigious research institution, leading big tech company, a Japanese unicorn, and an American startup. During this time, he was actively involved in various human-centric projects.

Following his gap year, he pursued a master's degree, focusing more on locationally-macro studies and solidifying his research interests in human-centricity in spatiotemporal modelling, human mobility, and computational social science. After graduating with distinction, he served as a full-time research staff at the university focusing on extracting semantics from human mobility and modelling human-centric interactions with building structures.

Currently, he is a Solution Engineer joined as a new grad and concurrently serving as a Technical Evangelist, helping VIP clients to lead cloud-native developments. Concurrently, he continues his work as a Researcher at the university, demonstrating the development of human-centric frameworks, leveraging modelling techniques and algorithm integration.

Hashtags

Cloud Architecture, Human-Centric Framework, Interaction, Human Mobility, Spatiotemporal Modelling, Applied ML/AI

Experience

Executive Summary

Solution Engineer with a robust background in application innovation, experienced in leading PoC for globally recognised VIP clients. My specialisation is in cloud-native developments, working together with account and product teams since joining Microsoft as a new grad in 2021. From 2023 onward, expanded my role to embrace Technical Evangelism for AI application.
Concurrently, Researcher at intersection between human-centricity and spatiotemporality, established a publication record with 10+ research papers at Microsoft, National University of Singapore, IBM Research, and Yahoo Japan Research. My competencies lie in development of human-centric frameworks, leveraging modelling techniques and algorithm integration.

Work Experience & Research Initiatives

Technical Evangelist (Concurrent) @ Microsoft, 2023 - Present

Concurrently, tasked with dedicating up to 20% of working hours to technical evangelism activities on AI.
Microsoft Evangelist Profile (microsoft.com)

App Innovation Technical Specialist (New Grad Hire) @ Microsoft, 2021 - Present

Achieved 172% (FY23) Azure app cloud growth for VIP clients assigned exceptionally to a new grad as a solution engineer, by engaging in application innovation and leading PoC in cloud-native developments.
Published research on a cloud-native analytical framework for modelling human mobility at IEEE, India, 2023, and on juxtaposition of individual and group mobility from WiFi in Journal of Location-Based Services, 2024.
Received an award at Microsoft Global Hackathon 2022, managing 22 members from 6 countries, as well as 2023, teaming up with a leadership team of Microsoft AI at US HQ.

Research Asssitant/Adjunct Researcher @ National University of Singapore, 2021 - Present

Concurrently, serving as an Adjunct Researcher at NUS while working at Microsoft.
Published research on a cloud-native analytical framework for modelling human mobility at IEEE, India, 2023.
Joined an international (NUS and Tsinghua University in China) research group (Investigators; Rudi Stouffs and Filip Biljecki) as a new grad hire, focusing on extracting semantics from human mobility and modelling human-centric interactions with building structures.- Joined an international (NUS and Tsinghua University in China) research group (Investigators; Rudi Stouffs and Filip Biljecki) as a new grad hire, focusing on extracting semantics from human mobility and modelling human-centric interactions with building structures.

Student Fellow @ IBM Research, 2018

Engaged in an accessibility research group (Investigator; Hironobu Takagi) to improve localisation accuracy for visually impaired individuals by integrating human-centric modelling and computer vision techniques.
Published research in Proceedings of Information Processing Society of Japan (IPSJ), 2018.
Received Yamashita SIG Annual Research Award from IPSJ, 2020, as well as Honourable Mention Award, 2018.

Student Fellow (Collaborative) @ Yahoo Japan Research, 2017 - 18

Engaged in collaborative graduation research (Investigators; Kota Tsubouchi and Nobuhiko Nishio) focused on counteracting aging deterioration of localisation models and developed a training dataset selection algorithm using transfer learning and clustering WiFi data.
Published 3+ research papers at esteemed conferences such as UbiComp, US, 2017 and nominated for Best Paper at IEEE, Italy, 2019.

Latest Education

M.Sc. in App Geo Info Sys @ National University of Singapore, Dept of Geography, Class 2021

Grade: Achieved a grade of 4.85/5, placing at the top tier of cohort (official standing to cohort is not provided).
Thesis: Juxtaposed Analysis of Individual and Group Movements from WiFi Signatures (Marked 5.0/5.0). Research Advisors: Chen-Chieh Feng and Guo Zhou. Published in Journal of Location-Based Services, 2024.

Award

Winning Award (2nd in Japan) at Microsoft Global Hackathon - the world's largest hackathon, 2023.
Winning Award (3rd in Japan) at Microsoft Global Hackathon - the world's largest hackathon, 2022.
Yamashita (Founder) SIG Annual Research Award, IPSJ, 2020.
Best Paper Nomination, IEEE IPIN, 2019.
Repayment Exemption from JASSO Student Loans for Excellent Achievements, 3,100 USD, 2019.
Honourable Mention Award, IPSJ SIG AAC (Assistive and Accessible Computing), 2018.
Future Generation Person Award, 1,000 USD, 2018.
Dean's Award, 100 USD, 2018.
Promising and Prospective Person Award, 4,500 USD, 2017.
Saionji (Founder) Memorial Award (Best Student Award), 6,000 USD, 2017.
Saionji (Founder) Memorial Award (Best Student Award), 7,000 USD, 2016.
Saionji (Founder) Memorial Award (Best Student Award), 7,000 USD, 2015.

Publication

Peer-Reviewed Journals (Full Paper)

(In peer review) Yamamoto, K., Lim, J., Biljecki, F. and Stouffs, R. Which, What, and How Long to Model: A Cloud-Native Spatiotemporal Framework for Indoor Human Mobility in Built Environment.
Yamamoto, K., Zhou, G., and Feng, C. 2024. Juxtaposing individual and group mobility from sparse Wi-Fi signatures with cloud-assisted computing: a case study for a multidisciplinary university campus, Journal of Location Based Services, DOI: 10.1080/17489725.2024.2330922
Tran, P., Zhao, M., Yamamoto, K., Minet, L., Nguyen, T. and Balasubramanian, R., 2020. Cyclists’ personal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and its influence on bikeability. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 88, pp. 102563.
Yamamoto, K., Kan, F., Murao, K., Mochizuki, M. and Nishio, N., 2019. Manual Grading Task Support System with Interactive Correction Mechanism. The Transactions of Human Interface Society, 21(1), pp.73-84.

Peer-Reviewed Proceedings (Full Paper)

Yamamoto, K., Lim, J., Biljecki, F. and Stouffs, R., 2023. Analytical Framework in Cloud-Native Environments for Auto-Modelling Sparse Human Mobility Considering Memory of Past Contexts. In: Proceedings of 13th IEEE International Conference on Cloud Computing, Data Science and Engineering, India, pp. 87-91.
Tsubouchi, K., Yamamoto, K. and Nishio, N., 2019. No-Sweat Detective: No Effort Anomaly Detection for Wi-Fi-Based Localisation. In: Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation, Italy, pp. 1-8.
Yamamoto, K., Kan, F., Murao, K., Mochizuki, M. and Nishio, N., 2018. GERMIC: Application of Gesture Recognition Model with Interactive Correction to Manual Grading Tasks. In: Proceedings of EAI International Conference on Mobile Computing, Applications and Services, Japan, 40.
Kawanaka, K., Yamamoto, K., Tsubouchi, K., Murao, K., Mochizuki, M. and Nishio, N., 2017. Detecting Aged Deterioration of a Radio Base Station Map for Wi-Fi Positioning. In: Proceedings of ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and Proceedings of the ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (Ubicomp'17), USA. pp. 547-556.

Peer-Reviewed Proceedings (Extended Abstract)

Yamamoto, K., Murata, M. and Sato, D., 2018. Localisation Method Considering Characteristic Movements of Visually Impaired Persons (in Japanese). In: Proceedings of IPSJ SIG AAC Conference on Assistive and Accessible Computing, Japan, pp. 1-7.
Yamamoto, K., Tsubouchi, K. and Nishio, N., 2017. Anomaly Detection Method Specialized for Aging of Wi-Fi Localisation Model (in Japanese). In: Proceedings of Kobe University Ubiquitous and Wearable Workshop, Japan.
Kan, F., Yamamoto, K., Murao, K., Mochizuki, M. and Nishio, N., 2017. Implementation of Scoring System by Handwriting Recognition and Interactive Correction Mechanism (in Japanese). In: Proceedings of IPSJ Conference on Multimedia, Distributed, Cooperative and Mobile Symposium, Japan, 1754-1760.

Theses

Yamamoto, K., 2020. Juxtaposed Analysis of Individual and Group Movements from WiFi Signatures. M.Sc. Thesis, Department of Geography, National University of Singapore. Research Advisors: Zhou, G. and Feng, C.
Yamamoto, K., 2018. Anti-Aging Calibration Methodology with User Log-Oriented Anomaly Detection for Wi-Fi Fingerprinting Localisation. B.Eng Thesis, Department of Computer Science, Ritsumeikan University. Research Advisor: Nishio, N.

Presentation

Yamamoto, K & Ueno, H. 2024. Designing Next-Generation App Architecture Integrating with Generative AI, Microsoft AI Tour, Tokyo and Osaka.
Yamamoto, K. & Okazaki, T. 2023. Use of Generative AI at Japan Association of Corporate Executives (経済同友会).
Yamamoto, K., 2023. Analytical Framework in Cloud-Native Environments for Auto-Modelling Sparse Human Mobility Considering Memory of Past Contexts. At 2023 IEEE International Conference on Cloud Computing, Data Science and Engineering, 19-20 January 2023 New Delhi, India.
Yamamoto, K., 2019. No-Sweat Detective: No Effort Anomaly Detection for Wi-Fi-Based Localisation. At 2019 IEEE International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation, 30 September-3 October 2019 Pisa, Italy.
Yamamoto, K., 2018. Localisation Method Considering Characteristic Movements of Visually Impaired Persons (in Japanese). At 2018 IPSJ SIG AAC Conference on Assistive and Accessible Computing, 24-25 August 2018 Tokyo, Japan.
Yamamoto, K., 2018. GERMIC: Application of Gesture Recognition Model with Interactive Correction to Manual Grading Tasks. At 2018 EAI International Conference on Mobile Computing, Applications and Services, 28 February-2 March 2018 Osaka, Japan.
Yamamoto, K., 2018. Anti-Aging Calibration Methodology with User Log-Oriented Anomaly Detection for Wi-Fi Fingerprinting Localisation. At B.Eng Thesis Defence, 8 February Shiga, Japan.
Yamamoto, K., 2017. Anomaly Detection Method Specialized for Aging of Wi-Fi Localisation Model (in Japanese). At 2017 Kobe University Ubiquitous and Wearable Workshop, 22-23 December 2017 Hyogo, Japan.
Yamamoto, K., 2017. Cross-Interactivity in EdTech. At 2018 Japan-China Conference of University Presidents as a representative, 18-22 October 2017 Dalian, China.
Yamamoto, K., 2017. Detecting Aged Deterioration of a Radio Base Station Map for Wi-Fi Positioning. At 2017 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and Proceedings of 2017 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (Ubicomp'17), 11-15 September 2017 Hawaii, USA.
Yamamoto, K., 2017. Implementation of Scoring System by Handwriting Recognition and Interactive Correction Mechanism (in Japanese). At 2017 IPSJ Conference on Multimedia, Distributed, Cooperative and Mobile Symposium, 28-30 June 2017 Hokkaido, Japan.
Yamamoto, K., 2016. Acceleration of Mutual Interaction Using IT Media. As a delegation to USA from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 8-15 March San Jose, USA.

Solution Engineer & Researcher in Human-Centricity and Spatiotemporality