The founder of a world-renowned motion capture studio whose work has impacted a wide spectrum of fields from healthcare to Hollywood has been presented an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by Curtin University.
Dr Thomas Shannon is the co-founder and Group Director of Oxford Metrics, a UK-based company specialising in analytics software for motion measurement and a Director of its subsidiary company, Vicon Motion Systems, which helped revolutionise visual effects in motion pictures and video gaming.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry congratulated Dr Shannon on his outstanding contribution to engineering, specifically in the field of recording, analysing and measuring movement to improve and impact lives.
“Dr Shannon is an eminent biomedical engineer, medical physicist and computer vision scientist whose lifelong passion for understanding how the body works has put him at the forefront of innovation in the development of motion capture systems for nearly 40 years,” Professor Terry said.
“One of Dr Shannon’s most significant achievements is the development of specialised software and hardware to improve people’s quality of life through clinical gait analysis. In particular, he has helped medical teams around the world in their treatment of children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and scoliosis.
“In the entertainment field through Vicon, he has helped create Academy Award and Emmy winning visual effects for television and blockbuster movies such as Titanic, Star Wars, Paddington Bear and Iron Man.”
The Honorary Doctor of Engineering is awarded in recognition of Dr Shannon’s distinguished contribution to engineering and his exceptional record of service to professional life.
Dr Shannon is a WAIT alumnus who holds a Bachelor of Applied Sciences, Communications Engineering, and Masters of Applied Science, Physics. He also has a Doctor of Philosophy, Mathematics and Computing, from Oxford Brookes University. He returned to Curtin in 2017 and 2018 to deliver special lectures in the application of motion capture and computer vision.
Dr Shannon was awarded his Honorary Doctorate at a graduation ceremony on February 7.
