I'm an Animator, Programmer and Roboticist.
10+ years experience in Film and TV as both an Animator and Python R&D with focus on pipeline design, tools R&D and User Experience.
I've stepped back from full time animation and VFX production to take a degree in Biomedical Engineering. This combines my interests in Animation, programming, robotics and mechanical design into a single field, with the added bonus of medical insight and helping humanity.
I still freelance occasionally as either junior, mid, senior, lead or supervisor, however it fits.
Work History
Software Animation Developer
Boston Dynamics
September 2021 - Present
Denmark
Wearing many hats on both the Atlas and Spot team
Movement Consultant
Gumnut Labs ApS
January 2020 - August 2021
Helsingør, Capital Region, Denmark
AI.MEE Engineer
Örebro University
January 2019 - November 2019
Orebro, Sweden
AI.MEE - Autonomous Intelligent Machines for Enterprise and Exploration (https://platformaimee.se/)
Designing and building Demonstrators that translates recent AI/Robotics research into practical industry-relevant applications,
Reporting to head of department: Amy Loutfi
Responsibilities include:
- Technology presentations and demonstrations
- Communication with industry
- Project Owner - Digital Twin for buildings
- Part of management team
- Camera Surveillance, Risk Analysis, GDPR
- IoT full-stack development: Various sensor APIs, MQTT communication, NodeJS and ThreeJS interface with 3D sensor visualisation (Digital Twin), Docker deployment
- Vinotion Sensor: Movement monitoring of people
- Python, JavaScript development
- ROS setup for various cases
- Raspberry Pi, Arduino programming,
- Analog/Digital sensor connection diagrams, soldering and installation
- CAD, CAM, CNC, Welding
Animator / Pipeline / R&D / Consultant / Teacher
Nutmech
October 2011 - December 2018
Self-employed freelancer when time allows.
Master's Thesis: Virtual Muscle Robot Controller with Cerebellum Adapt
Human Brain Project
April 2018 - October 2018
Copenhagen Area, Denmark
Master's Thesis in Biomedical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark
In collaboration with The Human Brain Project, Sub-Project 10 - Neurorobotics.
Project Title:
"Bio-Inspired Robotics Torque Controller with Virtual Muscles and Cerebellar-like Adaptation"
Project is implemented in The Neurorobotics Platform, featuring ROS/Gazebo underneath the hood as well as NEST for simulating Spiking Neural Networks.
Project page on Researchgate:
https://www.researchgate.net/project/Bio-inspired-robotics-torque-controller-with-virtual-muscles-and-cerebellar-like-adaptation
Articulated Robotic Face Developer, v2.0
Shape Robotics
September 2017 - March 2018
Development of v.2.0 of FABLE face
- All development and delivery of full-featured Android & iOS app with dynamic face for Fable
- Dynamical control of eye direction, eye blinks and shifting between various emotions while maintaining control over blinks and eye darts,
- Playback of premade animated sequences,
- Procedural eye control, eye darts and change of eye direction,
- Procedural eye blinks.
Articulated Robotic Face Developer, v1.0
Shape Robotics
March 2017 - June 2017
Unity development of an articulated and programmable robot face application for the FABLE modular robotics platform by Shape Robotics
Robotics R&D - Biped Powered Dynamic Walker
SYBO Games
February 2016 - April 2016
Copenhagen Area, Capital Region, Denmark
Research and Development of an interactive Powered Biped Dynamic-Walker Robot.
More information will eventually be published
Thesis Title: Framework for Analyzing Predictive Controllers for Synthesis of Biologically Inspired Simulation of Human Gait
About:
Exploring Predictive Controllers for achieving humanoid gait patterns by minimal energy optimization.
Project was based upon PredictiveSim by Tim Dorn and Jack Wang and using Stanfords OpenSim platform.
Project involved extending upon PredictiveSim by adding new features and tweaking existing features for exploring the path towards a more natural gait pattern.
Techniques covered:
Predictive Control, Genetic Optimization (CMA-ES), Biomechanical Modelling, Handling and Analysis of Large Datasets, Principal Component Analysis, C++ Development for Linux and Windows, High Power Computing Cluster Simulations, Python Development of Helper Scripts
Animation Supervisor
BaconX
January 2015 - May 2015
Copenhagen Area, Capital Region, Denmark
Supervised animation on the global Magnum advert "Release the Beast" featuring 3 photoreal animated animals - Eagle, Shark and Polar Bear
Technology Developer and Content Artist
Rokoko
September 2014 - December 2014
https://rokoko.co/
- Tech Developer on an opensource low-cost motioncapture platform (Hardware/Software)
- Animator for platform-specific digital content
- Company-wide R&D and pipeline dev
Animation and Story Consultant
Nørgård Mikkelsen
August 2014 - October 2014
Project: Rynkeby Foods - Monkey playing the piano
Animation and Story Development Consultant.
Helping to kick off production in the right direction.
Soft-Robotics Developer (Student)
DTU Mechanical Engineering
January 2014 - June 2014
(Also found under "Projects")
Based on the idea that some types of tubes straighten out when inflated I came up with the idea that it could potentially be used to actuate an arm without the need of an external rigid framework (Exoskeleton)
I did the prelimenary alone but after proving that it was indeed possible, I gathered a team of 4 more students from DTU Mechanical.
The team has since then worked on developing a soft, cheap and comfortable system for home-rehabilitation of people with limited muscle-function.
The concept has won the popular award at eFactor 2014 - a competition in Wearable Electronics, along with a money prize of 15.000 DKK.
As of now (5th of April 2014) We have a working prototype attached to a mannequin doll where the controller can use muscle sensors attached to his/her own muscles of choice, to lift/hold/lower the arm of the doll.
For more info and a video demonstration visit:
https://jakobwelner.wordpress.com/portfolio/soft-robotic-exoskeleton/
Animation Consultant
Nørgård Mikkelsen
April 2014 - April 2014
Project: Rynkeby Foods - Monkey Dance
Helped out with initial preparations, planning as well as animation and technical consulting to get started
Guest Teacher, Python Programming
The animation Workshop
September 2013 - September 2013
Viborg, Denmark
Taught a class of Introduction to Python Programming for the VFX-artist course.
3D Printed Animatronics Designer (Student)
DTU Mechanical Engineering
July 2013 - July 2013
(Also found under "Projects")
Based on a custom 3-week course at DTU I've started working on a mascot for DTU Fablab.
The product of the course was a head bust with actuated eyes and eyebrows, all 3D-printed.
The projectaimed to showcase the use and combination of different 3D-printing techniques, thus inspiring fellow students to play with the processes themselves.
Shotgun Pipeline Consultant
Duckling A/S
May 2012 - May 2012
Copenhagen Area, Denmark
Consultant work for kicking off a new Shotgun-based pipeline
Shotgun Pipeline Consultant
M2 Film
March 2012 - May 2012
Copenhagen Area, Denmark
Setting up Shotgun to track a fully animated TV-series across multiple companies in multiple countries.
Animator / Pipeline R&D
BaconX
January 2012 - February 2012
Copenhagen Area, Denmark
- TVC Animation
- Shotgun API scripting and general pipeline R&D
Guest Teacher, Animation
TRUEMAX
December 2011 - December 2011
Vanløse, Denmark
Animator
Double Negative
January 2011 - October 2011
London, United Kingdom
- John Carter of Mars (Andrew Stanton)
Senior Animator
Milford Animation Studios
January 2011 - January 2011
Senior Animator
Milford Animation Studios
October 2010 - October 2010
Animator
Animal Logic
October 2009 - July 2010
- Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'hoole (Zach Snyder)
World Traveler
The World
January 2009 - September 2009
Traveling, experiencing other cultures and gathering memories
Animator / Rigger
Duckling A/S
September 2008 - January 2009
Animation and Character Rigging on an advert and 4 breakers for Carlsberg Sport doing a penguin playing table tennis.
Main film can be watched here (and breakers soon to come):
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YANe3o1dgG0&fmt=18
R&D
Radarfilm
May 2008 - June 2008
Developed a tool for their feature film animation pipeline on Sunshine Berry and the Disco Worms for managing animation data, sharing between animators and reuse and easy appliance/transfer of animation on crowd shots
Animator / R&D
Duckling A/S
July 2007 - February 2008
- Pipeline developer
- Camera lead on a stereographic corporate film.
- 3D Character Animator
- General RnD
Animation-TD
Krogh Mortensen Animation
January 2007 - April 2007
Development of the animation pipeline by creating new tools or optimizing existing to fit the company's needs.