From NVIDIA: 2025-03-06 14:00:04

NVIDIA researchers Essex Edwards, Fabrice Rousselle, and Timo Aila have received Scientific and Technical Awards from the Academy for their groundbreaking contributions to visual storytelling in film. Their innovations in simulation, denoising, and rendering are helping shape the future of the industry. Image courtesy of DNEG © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. and Legendary.

Essex Edwards was honored for his work on Ziva VFX, a system that allows artists to construct and simulate human muscles, fat, fascia, and skin for digital characters. Ziva VFX has transformed the way studios bring photorealistic and animated characters to life on screen. DNEG continues to develop Ziva VFX to enhance its creature pipeline.

Fabrice Rousselle was recognized for Disney’s ML Denoiser, which uses advanced machine learning to remove noise, sharpen images, and speed up rendering. The technology has been used in over 100 films since 2018, including “Toy Story 4” and “Avengers: Endgame.” It has become an essential tool in visual effects and rendering workflows.

Timo Aila received an award for his contributions to AI image denoising with Intel Open Image Denoise, which provides an efficient, high-quality solution for rendering. The technology preserves fine details while significantly reducing noise, resulting in cleaner and more realistic images in rendering pipelines.

These awards highlight the significant contributions of NVIDIA researchers to the art and science of motion pictures. Over the years, 14 additional NVIDIA researchers have been recognized by the Academy for their pioneering work in AI, simulation, and real-time rendering. The awards ceremony will take place on April 29 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.



Read more at NVIDIA: NVIDIA Researchers Honored for Advancing Filmmaking