Jakob Welner

Jakob Welner

Animator, Programmer, Roboticist

Senior Animator / 16 yrs

Denmark

Hire Me

Animator

ColourBleed (2012)

John Carter (2012)

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010)

R&D Developer

Disco Ormene (2008)

CG Animator

Princess (2006)

Carlsberg Sport

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 (http://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

  • Bachelor Thesis - Biomechanical Predictive Simulation (Student)

    DTU Elektro

    August 2015 - February 2016

    (Also found under "Projects")

    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

    http://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):
    - http://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.

  • Previsualization Animator

    Krogh Mortensen Animation

    January 2007 - February 2007

  • Animator

    Open Workshop

    August 2006 - September 2006

  • Animator

    Zentropa Grrr

    October 2005 - December 2005

  • Animator, Rigger and Modelor

    Krogh Mortensen Animation

    June 2005 - July 2005

  • Animation and Rigging

    Krogh Mortensen Animation

    February 2005 - February 2005

  • Animation and Modeling

    Ghost Aps

    November 2004 - December 2004

  • Modelor, Rigger and Texture artist

    Krogh Mortensen Animation

    July 2004 - September 2004

  • Modellor

    Krogh Mortensen Animation

    June 2003 - July 2003
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Education

  • Danmarks Tekniske Universitet / DTU

    2012 - ?

  • Summer School: Rethinking Healthcare - Innovation

    Københavns Universitet / University of Copenhagen

    2018 - 2018

  • Master of Engineering - MEng in Biomedical Engineering

    Politecnico di Milano

    2017 - 2018

  • BizWorld Conference, Business Development and Entrepreneurship

    Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

    2015 - 2015

  • The Animation Workshop - 3D Character Animation

    2008 - 2008

  • Character Animation Masterclass with Kyle Balda

    2007 - 2007

  • The Animation Workshop - The Drawing Academy

    2006 - 2007

  • Aurehøj Gymnasium

    2003 - 2006