Hassan Ugail

Professor Ugail is well known for his work on computer-based human face analysis including, face recognition, face ageing, emotion analysis and lie detection. For example, in 2018, he has used his face recognition tools to help unmask the two suspected Russian spies at the heart of the Salisbury Novichok poisoning case. And, in 2020, Professor Ugail collaborated with the BBC News investigators to uncover an alleged Nazi war criminal, who settled in the UK, who could have worked for the British intelligence during the Cold War.

His research in Visual Computing techniques has led to the establishment of a university spin-out company Tangentix Ltd that looked at defining and manipulating complex digital data applied to develop computer games. Tangentix subsequently launched GameSessions that enable users to try or buy PC games online with ease. Professor Ugail was the founder and CSO of Tangentix Ltd. It was a UK-based startup exploring the use of 3D graphics compression. The company raised both Series A and Series B funding, in 2013 and 2015 respectively, and was aquaired by Toadman Interactive in 2019.

In September 2011, Prof Ugail unveiled a new lie detector system that uses two cameras and a computer to try to observe slight changes in facial expressions and facial temperature profile. This new system he developed is a complete step change from the traditional polygraph lie detector, which requires the subject to be wired up to a range of physiological sensors. This system is purely non-invasive and can be used in a covert situation, where the person being monitored potentially knows nothing about it.

In 2011 Professor Ugail received the Maldives National Award for Innovation. He is the first and the only Maldivian to have received this award to date.

In 2010 Professor Ugail won the most prestigious award from University of Bradford, the 'Vice-Chancellor's Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Award'.

His methods for the representation of a three-dimensional object and for the storage and transmission of data representing a three-dimensional object; and his method for the time-dependent animation of a three-dimensional object are all protected under British and US patent laws, between 2008 and 2015.

In late 2005, the political Maldivian webzine proposed a so-called "Dream Team" to constituent a future government that would bring forth "democracy and prosperity" in the Maldives. Despite Prof. Ugail's training as a mathematician, the compiler of this list placed him as Ambassador to the UK. Though this may be the case, Prof Ugail continues to remain politically neutral and on several occasions, he has openly said that he has no interest in getting politically involved and that he has no interest in running for the office in the Maldives.

Ugail received a B.Sc. degree with First Class Honours in Mathematics in 1995 and a PGCE in 1996 both from King's College London. He was awarded his PhD by the Department of Applied Mathematics at University of Leeds in the year 2000 for his research in geometric design. He then worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Department of Applied Mathematics at University of Leeds until September 2002. Prof. Ugail joined the School of Informatics, University of Bradford, as a lecturer in September 2002. He was appointed as a Senior Lecturer in April 2005. Ugail became a professor in 2009 at the age of 38 and is among the youngest professors at the University of Bradford. He currently serves as the director of the Centre for Visual Computing at the University of Bradford.

Hassan Ugail was born in Hithadhoo, Maldives. He completed his primary education at Nooranee School in Hithadhoo. In the 1960s, Hassan Ugail's father, Ahmed Ugail, worked as a clerk at the British Royal Air Force base in Gan Island in the Maldives. Hassan Ugail claims that though his beginning was humble, he was academically much privileged from a young age because his father could speak English and had access to books of varied nature that his father was able to obtain from the British based in Gan Island. In 1987, he moved to Malé to continue his education at the English Preparatory And Secondary School and at the Centre for Higher Secondary Education. Hassan Ugail was a top student and considered to be bright. In 1992, he received the opportunity to continue his studies in the UK as a result of a British Council scholarship.