Clay is available for hire
Hire ClayClay Budin
Verified Expert in Engineering
Graphics Developer
New York, NY, United States
Toptal member since June 2, 2021
Bio
Clay has over 20 years of experience creating amazing software at the highest performance standards, efficiency, and ease of use. With a master's degree in computer science, there is no programming task that Clay cannot accomplish, specializing in software for graphics, entertainment, interactive, and game industries. He's experienced with all graphics and game programming platforms and frameworks, as well as the underlying mathematics.
Portfolio
Symbiote Inc | 3D Portraits Brooklyn
3D Printing, 3D Modeling, iOS, Augmented Reality (AR), Game Development...
Lavva Inc (Sphere)
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR)...
Leo Villareal Studio
DMX, Networking, Unreal Engine, Raspberry Pi, TouchDesigner, Arduino...
Experience
- Graphics - 20 years
- Unity - 12 years
- Computer Vision - 6 years
- Processing - 6 years
- Three.js - 5 years
- Unreal Engine - 5 years
- Mixed Reality (MR) - 4 years
- A-Frame - 4 years
Preferred Environment
Processing, TouchDesigner, Cinder, OpenFrameworks, Unreal Engine, Unity, Mixed Reality (MR), Virtual Reality (VR), X Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), WebGL, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, 3D Graphics, UGUI, TextMesh Pro
The most amazing...
...room-sized installation I've designed and developed enabled 30+ people to walk around while colorful halos appeared at their feet and followed their movements.
Work Experience
Founder | President
2012 - PRESENT
Symbiote Inc | 3D Portraits Brooklyn
- Developed the custom photogrammetry processes for 3D scanning of people and automatically editing, cleaning up, and enclosing models in preparation for 3D printing.
- Built the systems for creating lifelike 3D printed portraits in various media and sizes using multiple 3D printing processes.
- Performed iOS software development, specializing in games, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Recently, I posted an action and puzzle game called Dink! to the App Store.
- Developed a computer vision application to track billiard balls on a table in real time using OpenCV and project trajectories and movements using OpenGL.
- Developed proof-of-concept application for Android phones using Android Studio and Gemini AI-assisted coding in Kotlin to identify fiducial markers and determine distances, orientations, and angles using OpenCV.
Technologies: 3D Printing, 3D Modeling, iOS, Augmented Reality (AR), Game Development, 3D Scanning, Photogrammetry, 3D Graphics, Git, TCP/IP, Video Processing, Video & Audio Processing, Videos, FFmpeg, 3D Animation, Three.js, JavaScript, D3.js, Shaders, Game Design, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, HTML5, Games, Scripting, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, CSS, HTML, Python, Python API, LED Lighting, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Investments, Front-end, Python 3, Blueprints Visual Scripting, Unreal Engine, PDF, Immersive Experiences, Unity3D, Desktop App Development, Multithreading, Rendering, Houdini, Render Farms, Render Farm, Redshift, AWS Thinkbox Deadline, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, C, Debugging, Motion Capture, NetSuite, Blender Scripting API, Xcode, OpenCV, Canvas, React, TypeScript, Python Asyncio, SVG, Vuforia, AR Foundation, Linux, Bash, CSV File Processing, REST APIs, NVIDIA CUDA, LiDAR, Figma, Google Maps API, OpenStreetMap API, WebGL, Node.js, Babylon.js, WebRTC, C++, Qt, OpenAI, AI Integration, Digital Experience Design, PlayCanvas, PixiJS, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, Anime.js, GSAP, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Plugin Development, Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, Godot, 2D Games, 3D Games, Unreal Engine 5, Unreal Engine 4, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, SQL, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Claude Code, Raspberry Pi, Internet of Things (IoT), Video Streaming, Windows, FLIR, Neuroscience, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Psychopy, LabJack, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), AI Tools, Gaming, Hand Tracking, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
AI & VR Developer
2024 - 2026
Lavva Inc (Sphere)
- Developed a proof-of-concept application in Unity for desktop and web that performed web search of sites, images, and videos, engaged in interactive AI chat with multiple LLMs, and created generative AI images and videos with multiple AI systems.
- Designed and developed a completely novel and unique user interface from scratch, based around circles and spirals. Implemented all UI displays and transitions between pages.
- Worked with the project art director to faithfully render design specifications, as well as with the project leader to discuss, develop, and implement application features.
Technologies: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Immersive Experiences, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Claude Code, Windows, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Technical Leadership, HTML5 Canvas, Human-machine Interface (HMI), AI Tools
Interactive Software Developer
2018 - 2025
Leo Villareal Studio
- Maintained and developed interactive graphics software tools utilized in creating small- and large-scale LED art installations worldwide using C++, Python, and TouchDesigner.
- Designed and developed complex software systems and user interfaces in TouchDesigner, Python, and C++ to control, trigger, and sequence dynamic art installations using Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other embedded systems.
- Designed and developed software to support lighting communications protocols such as DMX, KiNET, sACN, and Art-Net.
Technologies: DMX, Networking, Unreal Engine, Raspberry Pi, TouchDesigner, Arduino, Touch Design, 3D Graphics, Git, TCP/IP, UDP, Video Processing, Video & Audio Processing, Videos, FFmpeg, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, HTML5, Scripting, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, Python, Python API, LED Lighting, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Front-end, Python 3, Immersive Experiences, Desktop App Development, Multithreading, Rendering, Adobe Photoshop, Mathematics, C, Debugging, Linux, Bash, CSV File Processing, REST APIs, Node.js, Babylon.js, WebRTC, C++, Qt, QML, Digital Experience Design, APIs, Plugin Development, 2D Games, 3D Games, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Internet of Things (IoT), Video Streaming, Windows, FLIR, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Psychopy, LabJack, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI)
Senior Immersive Developer
2021 - 2024
Framestore
- Developed immersive interactive experiences using Unreal Engine, Unity, Cinder, TouchDesigner, Processing, Maya, Cinema 4D, Blender, Houdini, Photoshop, Illustrator, Nuke, Gimp, and other graphic tools.
- Wrote software to interface with various external hardware systems such as QR scanners and 3D cameras, coordinate file transfers, and trigger events in the graphic system.
- Built image processing software to recognize, isolate, and enhance human facial features, normalize skin tones, and remove background artifacts.
- Developed scripts in Python and VBS to automate the creation of digital portraits. Used Anaconda to spin up a machine learning system for facial and clothing segmentation of images.
Technologies: Unreal Engine, Cinder, Blender, Photoshop CC, 3D Graphics, Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Blueprints Visual Scripting, Unreal Engine 5, Git, JSON, TCP/IP, UDP, Video Processing, Video & Audio Processing, NVIDIA CUDA, Videos, FFmpeg, 3D Animation, JavaScript, Shaders, C#, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, Godot, HTML5, Node.js, Games, Scripting, React, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, Unity2D, CSS, HTML, Python, Python API, LED Lighting, Front-end, Python 3, PDF, Immersive Experiences, Unity3D, Unity Test Framework (UTF), Desktop App Development, Rendering, Houdini, Render Farms, Render Farm, Redshift, AWS Thinkbox Deadline, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, Motion Capture, NetSuite, Xcode, OpenCV, Canvas, TypeScript, Python Asyncio, SVG, AR Foundation, Linux, Bash, CSV File Processing, REST APIs, LiDAR, Figma, Google Maps API, OpenStreetMap API, WebGL, Babylon.js, WebRTC, C++, Digital Experience Design, Three.js, PixiJS, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, Anime.js, GSAP, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Plugin Development, Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, 2D Games, 3D Games, Unreal Engine 4, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, SQL, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Claude Code, Internet of Things (IoT), Video Streaming, Windows, FLIR, Neuroscience, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), AI Tools, Gaming, Hand Tracking, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Senior Developer
2020 - 2021
Silver Spoon Animation
- Contributed to developing a C++ plugin for Unreal Engine to control, manipulate, and trigger 3D geometry for BroadcastAR applications.
- Developed a system in Unreal Engine with C++ and Blueprints to communicate with the American football statistics server and visualize scoring drive data with colorful animated arrows for broadcast during SuperBowl LV in February 2021.
- Created a system in Unreal Engine (C++ and Blueprints) to position and trigger animated characters used during the March Madness college basketball tournament broadcast in March 2021.
Technologies: Unreal Engine, 3D Graphics, Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Blueprints Visual Scripting, Unreal Engine 5, JSON, UDP, 3D Animation, JavaScript, Shaders, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, HTML5, Scripting, Unity2D, Python, Python API, Python 3, Immersive Experiences, Unity3D, Desktop App Development, Multithreading, Rendering, AWS Thinkbox, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, Motion Capture, Xcode, Canvas, Python Asyncio, SVG, AR Foundation, LiDAR, WebGL, Node.js, Babylon.js, WebRTC, C++, Digital Experience Design, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, GSAP, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Plugin Development, 2D Games, Unreal Engine 4, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, SQL, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Internet of Things (IoT), Video Streaming, Windows, Neuroscience, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Technical Leadership, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Motion Tracking
Interactive Graphics Software Developer
2018 - 2020
GRAFX Co.
- Created and developed interactive graphics applications on various platforms, including augmented reality applications for iOS and Android using Unity and Vuforia.
- Engineered a large-scale interactive video installation for Marriott Hotels using projectors and Intel RealSense cameras to display lively real-time graphics that reacted to people passing by.
- Built an augmented reality multilingual concept application for iOS and Android for the Turkish Museums Directorate to highlight and explain fragile antiquities in the collection.
Technologies: Unity, iOS, Cinder, Android, Augmented Reality (AR), 3D Graphics, Git, JSON, 3D Animation, Three.js, JavaScript, Shaders, Game Design, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, HTML5, Scripting, API Integration, LED Lighting, Python 3, PDF, Immersive Experiences, Desktop App Development, Rendering, Render Farms, Render Farm, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, SVG, WebGL, Babylon.js, C++, Qt, Digital Experience Design, PlayCanvas, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, Anime.js, GSAP, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, Godot, 3D Games, REST, Geometric Modeling, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, SQL, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Windows, FLIR, Neuroscience, SDKs, Psychology, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Principal Engineer, Content
2017 - 2020
Madison Square Garden Company
- Developed VR software in Unity to visualize architectural plans for an arena still under construction. Developed tests for line-of-sight, screen coverage, vantage point, and other quantifying metrics.
- Designed and developed an augmented reality (AR) application for iPads using Unity and Objective-C to interface with a 360-degree camera and present live-streaming video into a 3D scene with extensive user-control features.
- Tested and evaluated cutting-edge VR, AR, digital signage, wayfinding, motion capture, and holographic technologies for inclusion in 21st-century state-of-the-art venue facilities.
Technologies: Unity, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), iOS, 3D Graphics, Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Git, JSON, TCP/IP, UDP, Video Processing, Video & Audio Processing, NVIDIA CUDA, Videos, FFmpeg, 3D Animation, JavaScript, Shaders, C#, Game Design, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, HTML5, Games, Scripting, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, Unity2D, CSS, HTML, Python, Python API, LED Lighting, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Investments, Front-end, Python 3, Blueprints Visual Scripting, Unreal Engine, PDF, Immersive Experiences, Unity3D, Unity Test Framework (UTF), Desktop App Development, Multithreading, Rendering, AWS Thinkbox, Houdini, Render Farms, Render Farm, Redshift, AWS Thinkbox Deadline, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, Motion Capture, Xcode, Canvas, SVG, AR Foundation, Linux, Bash, REST APIs, LiDAR, Google Maps API, OpenStreetMap API, WebGL, Babylon.js, C++, Qt, Digital Experience Design, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, Anime.js, GSAP, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Plugin Development, Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, Godot, 2D Games, 3D Games, Unreal Engine 5, Unreal Engine 4, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, SQL, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Code Review, Code Auditing, Internet of Things (IoT), OpenCV, Video Streaming, Windows, FLIR, Neuroscience, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Hand Tracking, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Senior Creative Technologist
2017 - 2017
Radical Media
- Designed and developed two immersive rooms for the "Museum of Feelings" pop-up interactive experience in Lower Manhattan NYC. These involved tracking visitor movements in real-time and generating colorful, engaging graphical displays.
- Wrote custom tracking software in Java for tracking visitor movement that reported positions, velocities, rotations and trajectories.
- Developed cutom tools for look developement used by artists to create visual assets displayed throughout the exhibit.
- Wrote custom software to interface with camera and LIDAR inputs and drive hardware output systems.
Technologies: 2D Games, 3D, 3D Graphics, 3D Images, 3D Graphics Engines, Motion Tracking
Creative Coder, Data Visualization
2016 - 2017
Gensler
- Designed and developed software tools using Processing for artists to create unique colorization effects of satellite climate temperature data, with user interfaces for artists to control numerous parameters, including colors, graphs, and animations.
- Created the particle system visualizations of live world climate and wind pattern data containing over 800,000,000 particles for display on high-resolution monitors at the IBM corporate headquarters.
- Built and designed wave simulation software for the IBM corporate headquarters to visualize live world climate rainfall data.
Technologies: Processing, Cinder, Java, C++, Data Visualization, DataViz, 3D Graphics, Git, JSON, 3D Animation, Three.js, JavaScript, D3.js, Shaders, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, HTML5, Games, Scripting, User Interface (UI), API Integration, LED Lighting, Electronics, Immersive Experiences, Desktop App Development, Rendering, Render Farms, Render Farm, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, Xcode, Canvas, SVG, CSV File Processing, Google Maps API, WebGL, Digital Experience Design, UI Animation, APIs, Plugin Development, Touchscreens, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, GitHub, Internet of Things (IoT), Windows, FLIR, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Psychology, Technical Leadership, HTML5 Canvas, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Touchscreen
Interactive Software Developer
2016 - 2016
Potion Design
- Built hardware and software for Raspberry Pi to playback various kinds of music while monitoring the user's heart rate. The system used sensor inputs (buttons, heart rate monitor) to control the audio output from the Raspberry Pi amp and speakers.
- Designed and developed a touch table system for perusing recipes, assembling ingredients, viewing nutritional and caloric information with explanatory text, and extensive use of high-quality food photography to create a fully interactive experience.
- Designed, 3D printed, and assembled self-contained cases for physical user experiences, such as monitoring heart rate data while playing various music.
Technologies: Cinder, Python, Raspberry Pi, 3D Printing, 3D Graphics, Git, TCP/IP, 3D Animation, Three.js, Shaders, C#, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, Games, Scripting, User Interface (UI), API Integration, Unity2D, Electronics, Immersive Experiences, Desktop App Development, Rendering, Render Farm, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, Debugging, Canvas, SVG, Bash, C++, Digital Experience Design, UI Animation, APIs, Plugin Development, Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, 3D Games, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, Code Review, Code Auditing, Internet of Things (IoT), Windows, FLIR, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Interactive Software Developer
2016 - 2016
The Mill
- Developed a system for displaying animated magazine covers in AR for iOS and Android, using Unity and Vuforia.
- Designed and developed a fully-featured text animation and display system using Cinder with SdfText and Arduino to inject lyrics and display them under the real-time control of a live DJ.
- Created a system for visualizing song moods as determined by the IBM Watson AI, using colors, textures, waves, and frequencies applied to abstract geometric shapes.
Technologies: Cinder, Arduino, Augmented Reality (AR), Unity, Android, iOS, Data Visualization, DataViz, 3D Graphics, Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Git, 3D Animation, D3.js, Shaders, C#, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, Image Processing, Games, Scripting, API Integration, Unity2D, LED Lighting, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Immersive Experiences, Desktop App Development, Rendering, AWS Thinkbox, Render Farms, Render Farm, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, C, Debugging, Motion Capture, Linux, Bash, C++, Digital Experience Design, JavaScript, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, APIs, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Plugin Development, REST, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, Code Review, Code Auditing, Raspberry Pi, Internet of Things (IoT), Windows, FLIR, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Creative Coder | Interactive Developer
2010 - 2015
HUSH Studios
- Developed an iOS app using Unity for Exxon Mobil's chemical division, which interactively displays the chemical products used in automobiles. The app displayed an interactive "X-ray" view of a car in 3D, and side menus displayed chemical components.
- Built a custom interactive display application in Cinder for Exxon Mobil, demonstrating their offshore drilling operation in the Upper Zakum region. This app was part of their booth at ADIPEC and won 2nd place out of over 500 entries.
- Developed a custom interactive display application in openFrameworks to visualize sound waves bouncing around a room. This used real-time wave simulation to include interactive barriers, dampeners, and refractors.
- Built a multi-touch kiosk using Cinderfor Twitter displayed at the Cannes Film Festival. It featured real-time updates of World Cup statistics and Twitter feeds.
- Created an immersive interactive environment for Oculus/Leap VR headsets using Unity, which allowed users to visit 3D worlds and interact with whimsical creatures. Used input from the Leap sensor to detect and interpret hand and finger movements.
Technologies: 3D Modeling, 3D Art, 3D Images, Cinder, C++, Python, Unity, iOS, Touch ID, OpenFrameworks, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Objective-C, Data Visualization, DataViz, Git, TCP/IP, UDP, 3D Animation, Three.js, Shaders, C#, Game Design, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, OpenGL, Image Processing, Games, Scripting, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, Unity2D, CSS, HTML, Python API, LED Lighting, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Front-end, Python 3, Immersive Experiences, Unity3D, Desktop App Development, Multithreading, Rendering, Houdini, Render Farms, Render Farm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, C, Debugging, Xcode, Vuforia, AR Foundation, Linux, Bash, CSV File Processing, LiDAR, WebGL, Digital Experience Design, JavaScript, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), UI Animation, APIs, Plugin Development, Touchscreens, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, 3D Games, HLSL, REST, Geometric Modeling, Embedded Linux, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, UX Design, Mobile Development, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, Code Review, Code Auditing, Raspberry Pi, Internet of Things (IoT), Video Streaming, Windows, SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, HTML5 Canvas, Microcontrollers, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Hand Tracking, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen
Senior FX Technical Director
2003 - 2005
Blue Sky Studios
- Created the "Dominoes Sea" effect for the 3D animated feature film "Robots" involving millions of dominoes, which the principal characters swam in and surfed on.
- Developed the "Oil Fountain" effect for the 3D animated feature film "Robots," which appeared in numerous scenes to help convey the wealth and prestige of one of the main characters.
- Created "Ball Bearings" effect for 3D animated feature film "Robots" in which thounsands of ball bearings spill out and two of the principal characters fight and then dance on.
- Researched and developed fur effects for upcoming film productions using an in-house volumetric rendering system. Wrote C++ code to extend and enhance the capabilities for use in the feature animated film "Horton Hears a Who."
Technologies: 3D Modeling, 3D Art, 3D Images, Autodesk Maya, C++, Python, 3D Animation, Shaders, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, Plugins, API Integration, PDF, Desktop App Development, Rendering, Render Farms, Render Farm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe Photoshop, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Mathematics, C, Debugging, Motion Capture, Digital Experience Design, APIs, Geometric Modeling, USB, Creative Concept Development, Motion, Product Mindset, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, Code Review, Code Auditing, Windows, SDKs, Technical Leadership
Experience
Lavva UI/UX and Functionality Diagram
https://symbiote.digital/images/LavvaLayout01.pngAn image featuring screen grabs of Lavva UI at various stages, featuring web search, AI chat, and generative AI features of the application, and a novel, custom user interface. I developed everything in Unity.
Innit Pirch Table
https://symbiote.digital/images/InnitPirchTable.jfifA demonstration system using a touch-sensitive table to guide users through the "home of the future." The demonstration system helps the busy user choose a recipe, assemble ingredients, and learn nutritional and caloric information about the meal. I designed and developed this system in Cinder, using text and high-quality food photography to ensure full responsiveness to user touch.
The following link displays a larger image of the table surface: Tinyurl.com/9mxvs9z7
The following link displays a larger image of the table surface: Tinyurl.com/9mxvs9z7
ExxonMobil Chemical iPad Application
https://symbiote.digital/images/ExxonMobileAppLayout01.pngAt the shareholder meeting, ExxonMobil wanted a cool toy to showcase its chemicals division. I designed and developed an iPad application that showed a car in regular and X-ray mode and identified numerous internal parts that used various Exxon chemicals. The app worked in full 3D, with the ability to rotate around the car and zoom in on tiny details. There were two different menuing systems based on the type of chemicals and their uses in the car.
ExxonMobil Upper Zakum Case Study
https://symbiote.digital/images/ExxonMobilUpperZakumCaseStudyH265_02.mp4I developed a real-time interactive kiosk to demonstrate new technologies for producing oil from undersea oil fields. The interaction is via touch and coded Lucite pucks. The kiosk was displayed at conventions in the UAE and won 3rd place in the Best in Show category (out of over 500 displays).
Global Wind Visualization
https://symbiote.digital/images/GlobalWindViz.jfifI built and designed a particle system visualization of live satellite global wind pattern data using over 800,000,000 particles to create a one-minute animated movie of the Earth's wind patterns, including vortices, eddies, and other phenomena. I rendered an 8,000x2,000 image for display on high-resolution monitors at the IBM world corporate headquarters.
Temperature Visualization GUI
https://symbiote.digital/images/TemperatureVizGUI.jfifI developed and designed a tool for artists to apply unique colorizations to live world climate heat and temperature data gathered by satellites. I responded to the needs and requests of artists and designers to incorporate the controls they wanted to achieve the project's artistic goals.
Precipitation Visualization
https://symbiote.digital/images/PrecipitationViz.jfifI designed and developed software to ingest live satellite rainfall data from around the world and visualize it in a way that is both beautiful and informative. I collaborated with creative directors to achieve their artistic goals.
Museum of Feelings
https://symbiote.digital/images/MuseumOfFeelings.jfifI served as the lead developer from November 24 to December 15 of 2015, on the Museum of Feelings, a pop-up experiential installation in Lower Manhattan. I worked on an "invigorated" room with colorful halos that surround and track users, and on the "scent table," where animations responded to user movements.
Twitter Cannes World Cup
https://symbiote.digital/images/TwitterCannesWorldCup2.pngA real-time interactive display system installed in Cannes, France, during the film festival. It provided live updates on World Cup scores and schedules, as well as live Twitter feed data on hashtags for sponsors and other trending topics. Users could select any team in the tournament by rotating the soccer ball in the center.
Dink! the Game
https://symbiote.digital/images/Dink.htmlAn action and puzzle game developed in Swift and Objective-C for iOS devices, published on the Apple App Store. I combined real-time gameplay with physics simulations to create a unique and challenging experience for users.
Mother and Children
http://www.3dportraitsbrooklyn.com/gallery/uf120obqlb2zl27xf7kt8xyxttq2r1A 3D-printed sculptural portraiture piece from a live scan of models that included extensive automated and manual editing and manipulation of the 3D model. It's printed in ABS using the fused filament fabrication technique.
AR Magazine Covers for Garage Magazine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzBaWblbjkYI created the iOS and Android applications that displayed lively and colorful animations when triggered with specific images from magazine covers. I distributed the apps to promote the Garage fashion magazine and give it a cool techno vibe.
Alex da Kid and IBM Watson
https://symbiote.digital/images/AlexDaKid_IBMWatson.jfifTo promote its Watson set of AI tools, IBM hired the DJ Alex da Kid to mix live songs from the past decade that Watson had analyzed for emotional content and temperament.
While working with a team to bring visual brilliance to the lyrics, I designed and developed a tool for displaying song lyrics in real time as many interlocking streams, which changed size and speed dynamically to fit the tone of the music.
While working with a team to bring visual brilliance to the lyrics, I designed and developed a tool for displaying song lyrics in real time as many interlocking streams, which changed size and speed dynamically to fit the tone of the music.
Illuminated River
https://illuminatedriver.london/The LED artist Leo Villareal has covered the bridges across the Thames river in London with LEDs that sequence and pulse to numerous visual rhythms. I wrote software that communicates between the generating PC and the LEDs and software to test and deploy the LED layouts on the bridges.
Robots – 3D Animated Feature Film
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0358082/A feature-length 3D animated movie with a theatrical release. As part of the FX department, I created numerous visual effects for this movie, including a sea of dominoes in which the characters swam, a fountain made of oil, and a rolling floor of ball bearings with which the characters interacted. I also did software development for tools, fur generation, and other projects.
Education
1992 - 1996
Coursework in Design and Photography
School of Visual Arts - New York, USA
1988 - 1992
Master's Degree in Computer Science
New York University - New York, USA
1983 - 1987
Bachelor's Degree in Cognitive Science
Harvard College - Cambridge, USA
Skills
Libraries/APIs
HTML5 Canvas, Cinder, WebGL, Three.js, D3.js, Node.js, FFmpeg, Turtle, OpenGL, React, Python API, Blender Scripting API, OpenCV, Python Asyncio, REST APIs, Babylon.js, WebRTC, WebGPU, WebGPU Shading Language (WGSL), Google Maps API, OpenStreetMap API, Anime.js, GSAP
Tools
DataViz, Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, Adobe Photoshop, UGUI, TextMesh Pro, GitHub, Blender, Photoshop CC, Canvas, Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Git, Houdini, Xcode, Figma, Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS), Claude Code, GoPro Studio
Languages
Processing, Python, C++, JavaScript, C, C#, CSS, HTML, Python 3, HLSL, Java, HTML5, Bash, SQL, Swift, Objective-C, TypeScript, QML
Frameworks
Unreal Engine, Unity, Microsoft Kinect, Unity2D, Unity3D, Unreal Engine 4, A-Frame, AR Foundation, Qt, OpenFrameworks, Unity Test Framework (UTF), PixiJS
Paradigms
Desktop App Development, REST, UI Design, UX Design, Mobile Development
Platforms
Raspberry Pi, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Embedded Linux, TouchDesigner, iOS, Arduino, Vuforia, PlayCanvas, NVIDIA CUDA, Godot, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Android
Storage
JSON, Redshift
Other
Computer Vision, Graphics, Algorithms, Operating Systems, Programming, 3D Printing, Game Development, 3D Scanning, Photogrammetry, Data Visualization, 3D, 3D Art, 3D Graphics, Unreal Engine 5, Shaders, Scripting, User Interface (UI), Plugins, API Integration, LED Lighting, Immersive Experiences, Rendering, 3D Graphics Engines, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects (VFX), Debugging, SVG, Digital Experience Design, UI Animation, APIs, Plugin Development, Touchscreens, 2D Games, 3D Games, Geometric Modeling, USB, Creative Concept Development, User Experience (UX), Motion, Product Mindset, Troubleshooting, Pixel Perfect, Code Review, Code Auditing, Internet of Things (IoT), SDKs, Sensors & Actuators, Technical Leadership, WebSockets, Human-machine Interface (HMI), Gaming, Motion Tracking, Touchscreen, X Reality (XR), Design, Aesthetics, Typography, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Interactive UI, 3D Modeling, DMX, Networking, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mixed Reality (MR), Touch Design, Blueprints Visual Scripting, TCP/IP, UDP, Video Processing, Video & Audio Processing, Videos, 3D Animation, Game Design, Image Processing, Games, Electronics, Embedded Systems, Investments, Front-end, PDF, Multithreading, Render Farms, Render Farm, Mathematics, Motion Capture, CSV File Processing, LiDAR, OpenAI, AI Integration, Video Streaming, FLIR, Neuroscience, Psychology, Microcontrollers, AI Tools, Hand Tracking, Data Science, Touch Interactions, 3D Images, Autodesk Maya, Touch ID, AWS Thinkbox, AWS Thinkbox Deadline, NetSuite, Animation, Interactive Art, 3D Print Design, DSLR Photography, Digital Art, Real-time Data, Streaming, Data, Psychopy, LabJack
Collaboration That Works
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
1
Share your needs
Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.
2
Choose your talent
Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.
3
Start your risk-free talent trial
Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring