PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Josef Bigun

Josef Bigun is a researcher in computer vision whose interests include AI, biometrics, texture and motion analysis. He earned M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees at Linköping University in 1983 and 1988, worked at EPFL from 1988 to 1998, served as a visiting professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in 1997, and joined Halmstad's Signal Analysis Chair in 1998. The IAPR named him a Fellow in 2000, and IEEE made him a Fellow in 2003 for image analysis. His 2006 book Vision with Direction introduced image processing and computer vision; his research from 2018 to 2025 covered biometrics and structure-tensor construction. As of October 2026, he is a Professor at Halmstad University.

Now at
Halmstad University

Timeline

  1. 1983–1988

    Degrees at Linköping

    He earns an M.Sc. in 1983 and a Ph.D. in 1988 at Linköping University.

  2. 1988–1998

    EPFL and a KTH visit

    In 1988, he joins EPFL in Lausanne as an Adjoint Scientifique and works there until 1998. He serves as a visiting professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in 1997.

  3. 1998

    Halmstad's Signal Analysis Chair

    In 1998, he becomes Halmstad University's first professor, holding the Signal Analysis Chair.

  4. 2000

    An IAPR fellowship

    In 2000, the IAPR names him a Fellow for contributions to image understanding and service to the association.

  5. 2003

    An IEEE fellowship

    IEEE names him a Fellow in 2003 for image analysis, making him the first IEEE Fellow in Sweden for that field.

  6. 2006

    Vision with Direction

    He publishes Vision with Direction in 2006, a systematic introduction to image processing and computer vision.

  7. 2018–2025

    Biometrics and structure tensors

    In 2018, his work focuses on biometrics for computer-based identification. His research interests include computer vision and AI, particularly biometric signal analysis, texture and motion analysis. In 2025, he coauthors Note on the Construction of Structure Tensor, arguing that total least squares can reconcile two structure-tensor constructions.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor at Halmstad

    As of October 2026, he is a Professor in Halmstad University's School of Information Technology.

Career

  1. NowHalmstad UniversityProfessor
  2. 1997KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyVisiting Professor
  3. 1988–1998EPFLAdjoint Scientifique

Education

  1. 1988Linköping UniversityPh.D.
  2. 1983Linköping UniversityM.Sc.

From the biography.

  1. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes EPFL. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.
  2. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes EPFL. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.
  3. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes EPFL. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  4. Universities had a net outflow of 2,068 moves in AI careersIncludes EPFL. Our estimates of career flows and median h-index across universities and companies in AI, including the role of joint appointments and earlier academic jobs.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Josef Bigun yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. HH Signal analysis chair www2.hh.se. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Chronological List of IAPR Fellows – International Association for Pattern Recognition iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Vision with direction: a systematic introduction to image processing and computer vision / Josef Bigun katalog.bibliothek.kit.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Professor’s portrait: The researcher who wants to teach machines to see hh.se. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. [2510.23137] Note on the Construction of Structure Tensor arxiv.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Josef Bigun - Professor | hh.se hh.se. Checked 20 October 2026.