Raptor codes, a class of rateless erasure codes used in mobile broadcasting and data transmission, define the primary contribution of Amin Shokrollahi to modern coding theory. Born in 1964 in Tehran, he maintains dual citizenship in Iran and Germany while establishing himself as a significant figure in applied mathematics, cryptography, and computer science.
Academic Foundation and Early Research
Shokrollahi completed his education at the University of Bonn. He focused his early research on algebraic complexity theory and coding theory. His later academic career included a tenure at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, where he developed techniques for iterative decoding of graph-based codes. This research earned him the IEEE Information Theory Paper Award in 2002, an honor shared with collaborators Michael Luby, Michael Mitzenmacher, Daniel Spielman, Tom Richardson, and Ruediger Urbanke.
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The development of Tornado codes established Shokrollahi as a contributor to practical erasure codes. He became the principal developer of Raptor codes, which function as Fountain codes to allow reliable data transfer across unreliable channels. His contributions in this field led to the 2007 IEEE Eric E. Sumner Award, presented alongside Michael Luby for the successful integration of mathematics into Internet design and broadcasting standards. In 2012, he received the IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal for his foundational work on the analysis of these rateless codes.
Commercialization and Chordal Codes
Shokrollahi transitioned into industrial application by inventing Chordal Codes, a method designed for data transmission on electrical wires connecting computer chips. He founded the firm Kandou Bus in 2011 to commercialize this technology. In 2014, the International Solid-State Circuits Conference honored the first implementation of his design—using an 8-wire correlated system in a 40 nm process—with the Jan Van Vessem Award for the best European Paper.
Fast facts
- Born: 1964, Tehran
- Citizenship: Germany, Iran
- Education: University of Bonn
- Primary Field: Applied Mathematics
- Notable Invention: Raptor codes
- Company Founded: Kandou Bus (2011)
- IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal: 2012
- Mustafa Prize: 2017
Questions readers ask
What are Raptor codes?
Raptor codes are a type of rateless erasure code, specifically classified as Fountain codes, which enable efficient and reliable data transmission over digital networks.
What is the function of Chordal Codes?
Chordal Codes are a specific class of codes developed by Shokrollahi to improve communication efficiency on the electrical wires connecting chips within electronic devices.
Achievements
- IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal — 2012
- Mustafa Prize — 2017
- Held posts at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
