Photography by Valérie Verhamme

WALTER
HORSTEN

PERSONAL

°1979, BELGIAN MALE; DUTCH, ENGLISH; INTROVERT; AUTO-DIDACT

CAREER

SKILLS

C/C++17; PYTHON; JAVA; OPENGL; OPENCL; QT; SQL; GIS; WINAPI; LINUX; OSX; ANDROID(NDK); ...

HOBBY

ANSI ART; PHOTOGRAPHY; MATH; ELECTRONICS; CODING; DOGS; DRAWING; 3DPRINTING; 3DGFX

CARREER

Computer People (1999)

Student job ICT consulting

  • Banksys (Brussels, BE) - Internal 2nd level helpdesk.
  • Monsanto (Antwerp, BE) - Internal hardware support.

BA (2003-2005)

XIOS Intermship (2003)

For my thesis I implemented the backend part of a system for operating a domotics system using your television set and remote. The system was designed to be able to communicate with any domotics system, for the proof-of-concept implementation we were sponsored a demo system by LUXOM. My part consisted of a C++ service that took care of the communication with the domotics system (RS232) on one side and the frontend software (a graphical user inteface displayed on the tv-set) on the other side. (Score 18/20)

C++ Developer & Sys-admin (2003-2005)

I was then hired as a C++ Developer and linux system administrator. An interesting project involved porting Mozilla (think Firefox) and adapting the user interface to a StrongARM based fleet management system (CarCube). I also developed a system for creating and analyzing online surveys (C++,HTTP,CGI) in my time there.

A little more than a year later I got the opportunity at VITO to work at more computer vision oriented projects (which is where my interest lies).

VITO (2005-now)

Since 2005 I've become a seasoned software engineer dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation. Serving in a dynamic team at VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), where I work seamlessly with researchers and scientists, I gathered a wealth of experience and expertise in the realm of software development, software optimization, image processing, distributed computing and AI.

My work at VITO mostly concerns implementing and optimizing algorithms for photogrammetry, segmentation, classification and image corrections to support projects for clients including ESA, the EU and the Flemish government. A couple of interesting projects I was involved in over the years:

  • CWIS-II Seamless image compositing algorithm. [algorithm implementation, C++]
  • MAPEO - GCP marking application for (drone) operators. [C++, QT5]; Annotation and measuring (proof-of-concept) application for Mapeo projects. [C++, QT5]; CLI, API & UI component libraries for MAPEO webservices. [C++, QT5]
  • COPERNICUS GLOBAL LAND OPERATIONS - ao. Optimization of the FenicePhenolo phenology extraction package. [Python CFFI, C++]
  • COPERNICUS CLIMATE CHANGE SERVICES - ao. Implementation of an efficient neural network inference application for the calculation of LAI/FAPAR parameters. [Python CFFI, C++]
  • Alcedo - Tool for graphically designing rule-based, distributed, classification workflows to support INBO forest monitoring. [C++, QT5]
  • Waterzicht - Tool for navigating through and measuring in 360° panoramas and WMS/WFS data of waterways managed by NV De Scheepvaart. [C++, QT5, Android]
  • BVK Viewer - Browser plugin for navigating LiDAR point-clouds, Depth-image generation from LiDAR point-clouds. [C++, QT5, NpAPI (obsoleted)]
  • ExploreVN - Monitoring water quality in Vietnam using Sentinel-2 data. [workflow implementation, python]
  • Change-detection from aerial photography for GRB maintenance [Algorithm and workflow implementation, Java, C++]
  • CDPC - Workflows and algorithmic components for aerial image (from eg. APEX, UltraCam,...) geometric and atmospheric correction & processing. [workflow & algorithm implementation, Java, C++]
  • RIMS - Real-Time compositing of streamed video from a drone platform [algorithms and data ingestion, C/C++]
  • Zonnekaart - Solar energy efficiency-map of flanders [algorithmic components, C++]

EDUCATION

  • 1991-1997 Sint-Jozefcollege, Turnhout - ASO Sciences/Math
  • 1997-1999 UHasselt (LUC), Diepenbeek - Computer sciences
  • 1999-2003 XIOS, Diepenbeek - Applied Computer sciences

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Linux Professional Institute: LPIC1, LPIC2 [www.lpi.org]

PUBLICATIONS

REFERENCES

  • On request.

SKILLS

Platforms

  • Intel X86/X64: windows1x, linux (pref. ubuntu/debian), android, osx
  • ARM 32/64: linux (raspberry pi), android
  • AVR: arduino, zumo

Programming Languages

  • C/C++17, Python, Java, Javascript
  • Scripting: Bash Batch
  • Markup: HTML4, CSS3, XML

SDKs/APIs

  • C/C++: WinAPI, POSIX, Android NDK, Arduino, OpenGL, OpenCL, CUDA, ...
  • Python: numpy, scipy, rasterio, matplotlib, xarray, pandas, ...

Development Tools

  • Compilers: GCC, MSVC, LLVM Clang
  • Build system generators: Project Skeleton X, CMake, Autotools
  • Build systems: MS Visual Studio, Make, X Code
  • Version Control: git, svn, cvs

Cloud/Cluster

  • Amazon AWS
  • Azure
  • Kubernetes
  • Spark/PySpark

2D/3D Design, Digital Photography & Printing

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Bridge
  • Adobe Lightroom
  • Blender
  • Sketchup
  • PRUSA-Slicer

GIS

  • Quantum GIS
  • OGC Standards

Database

  • MySQL
  • PostgeSQL/GIS
  • ODBC

HOBBY

Ansi-ART

In the context of ANSI graphics and BBS (Bulletin Board System), ANSI art played a significant role in the early days of online communities and BBS culture. ANSI art refers to graphical art created using ANSI escape codes and characters, often displayed on text-based interfaces of BBS systems.

BBS sysops (system operators) commonly used ANSI graphics for system banners, welcome screens, and menus to give their BBS a unique and visually appealing identity.

There were groups of artists who specialized in creating ANSI art, forming collectives or groups known as "ANSI art groups." These groups often had their own unique styles and released packs of artwork.

Some BBS systems featured text-based games that utilized ANSI graphics for in-game visuals. These games were often multiplayer and part of the BBS experience.

Keep in mind that the heyday of ANSI art on BBS systems was primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. As graphical interfaces became more prevalent, ANSI art gradually faded in popularity. However, it remains a nostalgic and artistic part of the early online community culture. Today, there are still enthusiasts and retro computing communities that appreciate and preserve ANSI art as a form of digital art history.

During my teenage years I was affiliated with Triloxy, iCE Advertisments and Fuel under the moniker 'Cd' short for 'Count Drakula'.

A few years ago I took a short trip down memory lane and did some more artwork for a revived Fuel.

Awards

Coding projects

I started coding around the age of 9 in MSX Logo on the Philips MSX-I, moved on to AMOS Professional on the Commodore Amiga 500 (which is still in a working condition!) to finally move on to C/C++ somewhere in the late 90's for implementing BBS mods.

Ever since I got some proper C/C++ skills I have been collecting, revisiting, improving and updating the interesting bits in some libraries and lately also for python in the form of a framework for creating C/C++/python build files and projects for a wide range of platforms. [Currently looking into setting up AI-scanbot-free repositories :-|]

Tinker projects

Sometime during the Covid pandemic I started experimenting with electronics; here are a few simple projects I did:

- Design: Walter Horsten - Will not serve you any cookies -