The Science of Art

Fernando de Goes, PhD (MS ’11, PhD ’14) won an Academy Scientific and Technical Award in February for his work developing Pixar’s Fizt2 elastic simulation system.
Disney's Onward
Disney/Pixar

Until A Few Years Ago, the total number of satellites in orbit was just a few thousand. In the next decade, experts expect 100,000 satellites to be launched—the vast majority into low earth orbits. That sounds great, but today’s rockets are not well suited to getting these satellites into their proper orbits in space. Some need to be in higher orbits to extend their lives or view larger areas of the globe, while others need to be placed in orbits spaced around the Earth in ways that rockets are simply not good at doing.

Fizt2 uses advanced mathematics to help simulate anisotropic energies, which have different physical properties when measured in different directions, and enable artists at Pixar to realistically distinguish the difference between, say, a firm suit and a soft shirt across different body types. His work, seen in this image from 2020’s Onward, is naturally complex and sophisticated—and the foundation for some of the world’s most lovable characters.

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