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UOA15-10: Boujou: special effects software for the film industry

Summary of the impact

The Boujou special effects software was developed from research carried out at the Department of Engineering Science. It enables sophisticated computer generated imagery (CGI) to be quickly and easily added to `real' film footage, facilitating the visual effects that feature so importantly in films such as Harry Potter and X-Men. The software has become an essential tool used by film-makers, TV advert producers, and video game manufacturers, and for instance played a pivotal role in helping `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' win the 2009 Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Between 2008 and 2013, sales of Boujou totalled £1.37 million and this software boosted productivity and profitability right across the global digital entertainment industry.

Submitting Institution

University of Oxford

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

Computer Vision for Stereo 3D Film Production

Summary of the impact

The introduction of computer vision algorithms that allow creation of stereo 3D content in film and broadcast using conventional 2D monocular video cameras has permitted fundamental advances in the 3D reconstruction of complex real-world dynamic scenes from video, enabling the rendering of stereo views from a single camera view. Technology introduced by Surrey has been used for 3D scene analysis by the UK company, The Foundry, in their film post-production for major Hollywood 3D film productions (Avatar, Harry Potter, Planet of the Apes, Tron, The Hobbit). Since 2007, The Foundry has transformed to become the leading provider of 3D stereo production software tools to the global visual effects industry, growing from 20 to over 200 employees.

Submitting Institution

University of Surrey

Unit of Assessment

Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Computation Theory and Mathematics

Stereoscopic Imaging

Summary of the impact

This case study involves the development and implementation of novel algorithms that control the mapping of depth from a scene being imaged by a camera to an image being viewed on a stereoscopic display so as to make viewing more comfortable for the human visual system. The algorithms, developed at Durham University between 2003 and 2005:

  • are influential in the implementation of software tools supplied to the games industry;
  • have reportedly been widely adopted in the 3D movie industry; and
  • are used to produce award-winning 3D science movies that have been shown around the world and which have measurable and quantifiable public impact (nationally and internationally) in terms of both significance and reach.

Submitting Institution

University of Durham

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Adaptive Video Analytics Software

Summary of the impact

Video surveillance or monitoring is an important ingredient of modern life. Research conducted by the 2017Centre for Information, Intelligence and Security Systems` (CIISS), into improving the reliability of automated detection of visual entities in videos, has made an impact on public services and on practitioners (increased speed and quality, lower labour cost — Beneficiaries: U.K. Police; police investigators) and their health (mitigation of potential physical or psychological harm — Beneficiaries: police investigators), on society (reduction of a factor associated with crime rates and legal costs — Beneficiaries: the public; tax-payers), and on business (creation of a spin-out company - Adaptive Video Analytics Technologies Ltd — Beneficiaries: UK; and influence on management decisions about technology choices — Beneficiaries: Serco Group plc (HMP Dovegate)).

Submitting Institution

Staffordshire University

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Computation Theory and Mathematics

Zappar

Summary of the impact

Research at the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering on computer vision tracking led to the creation of Extra Reality Limited in 2010, which was subsequently acquired by a new company called Zappar Limited in May 2011. Zappar employs 17 staff and had revenue of GBP612k in the financial year 2012/13, an increase of 35% on the previous year.

Over 50 different brands have used Zappar's augmented reality application across more than 300 offerings in over 17 countries to deliver entertainment-based marketing interactions from 2011 to 2013. [text removed for publication] Examples of partners include Disney, Warner Brothers and Marvel. Zappar has changed attitudes in the media sector by showing that "augmented reality is finally ready for prime time" (President, Creative Strategies Inc, Time Online, 2012).

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Computation Theory and Mathematics

Economic benefits from sales of people-tracking and crowd-monitoring technology

Summary of the impact

Research at Kingston University into methods for tracking pedestrians and monitoring crowds using computer vision techniques has been translated into commercial products by Ipsotek Ltd and BAe Systems, resulting in economic benefits to these companies from sales of these products.

These products have been sold to high-profile customers including the London Eye, the O2 Arena and the Australian Government, providing significant commercial benefits, employment and growth for both companies, as well as providing an economic impact for these customers.

Submitting Institution

Kingston University

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Cognitive Sciences

3D Measurement Systems

Summary of the impact

The Centre for Sports Engineering Research (CESR) has developed new methods to allow accurate 3D measurement. These methods have evolved from lab-based to in-situ systems allowing real world measurements using multi-camera systems, object tracking, signal processing and planar calibration. This research has had four main types of impact:

  • the implementation of camera-based analysis systems embedded within Olympic teams in preparation for London 2012 and Rio 2016;
  • the implementation of systems at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow that organisation to monitor the game of tennis and set its rules;
  • the transfer of knowledge and systems to the commercial and health sectors;
  • dissemination to the research community.

Submitting Institution

Sheffield Hallam University

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Numerical and Computational Mathematics
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Medical and Health Sciences: Neurosciences

System-on-Chip (SoC) IP cores for Digital TV and Multi-Media Systems

Summary of the impact

Research (1993-2008) on novel silicon architectures and design methodologies for digital signal and video processing led to the creation of world leading semiconductor IP cores (chip designs) for implementing the main video and image compression standards including H.264, MPEG4, MPEG2, and JPEG2000. These have been licensed to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide including Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and Sharp. Since 2008, such encoders/decoders have been incorporated into all DTV/HDTV SoCs produced by Conexant, NXP, Trident Microsystems and Entropic. They have also been used as the hardware acceleration engines in Intel's C2110 Media Processor. At least 150 million chips worldwide having been manufactured incorporating this technology.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Computation Theory and Mathematics
Technology: Computer Hardware

Applications of Singularity Theory and 3D Modelling in Arts and Retail

Summary of the impact

Professor Peter Giblin (Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool), together with collaborators, used methods from singularity theory to develop an approach for recovering 3-d information from 2-d images, such as photos. In the past decade, these have been implemented and built upon by software engineers, leading to significant cultural, economic and societal impacts. These include the creation of an innovative 25m high sculpture of the human body in the Netherlands by the sculptor Antony Gormley and the virtual modelling of clothing on online clothing websites such as Tesco's (Virtual Changing Room by Tesco/F&F). These have reached thousands of consumers worldwide and represent a significant commercial success for the company which developed the software.

Submitting Institution

University of Liverpool

Unit of Assessment

Mathematical Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Pure Mathematics
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

Improved Motion Blur in Computer Animated Film and Special Effects

Summary of the impact

Motion blur is the effect that occurs when objects are filmed at speed. Researchers at Bournemouth University's (BU) National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) developed a new approach to more accurately model this effect in 3D image production. This produces aesthetically superior images without any penalty in rendering time. The technique was implemented by Pixar in their own films and in the commercial PRMan software they supply to other animation and effects studios in New Zealand, Canada, the USA and the UK, among others. As well as contributing significantly to Pixar's revenue, the technique improves the viewing experience and has been used on virtually every major feature film produced since 2008. This contributes to the global animation industry worth $207 US billion (2012, R1).

Submitting Institution

Bournemouth University

Unit of Assessment

Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Medical and Health Sciences: Neurosciences

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