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Jakob Welner

Jakob Welner

Hybrid Engineer: Biomedical, Animation & Robotics

R&D
Bio-Inspired Control
Character Animation
Student Open to opportunities
My mindset is R&D through a mixed background of arts, biology and engineering where I often reach beyond my curriculum for solving interdisciplinary challenges. Through 8+ years of professional experience my broad know-how has repeatedly been a valuable asset, both as a specialist and for communicating between departments, sparring with experts and developing holistic solutions across many fields.

I have successfully applied my proficiencies for: designing motion and gestures for creating empathetic and appealing robots, developing and building interactive robot prototypes, developing behaviour for hero characters on Hollywood movies at Oscar-winning animation companies, software R&D and implementation of streamlined digital workflow at various production companies, understanding and translating customer needs into concrete products and consulting for product development of an inertia-based motion capture suit.
I have participated in several award winning projects including a novel soft-robotic exoskeleton based on my own idea, a Carlsberg commercial winning Commercial of the Year in Denmark, as well as being featured both as a software developer of an Open Source toolbox that I created for Autodesk Maya and as artist on a high-ranking website for animation artist portfolios.

I am passionate about robotic behaviour, interaction and appeal, a sustainable future and healthcare systems through the lens of behavioural sciences, arts and engineering.

My skills further extend to a deep specialization in 2 key areas:
  • Bio-Inspired robotics (6 yrs): Combining biomechanics and neuroscience with mechanics, electronics an control engineering
  • Character animation (8 yrs): Leading an audience through a story, understanding human empathy and attention and creating appealing behaviour
Resume created on DoYouBuzz
  • Full responsibility, idea and R&D. Developed a robot game prototype featuring an interactive powered biped passive-walker. Mobile BLE control.
  • 2,5 months from idea to walking robot
  • Constructed from LEGO technic, 3D printed parts, CoolMorph, latex and various electronics. Arduino-based.
  • 4 DoF total: 2 DoF actuation
  • Full responsibility of design and development of mobile app serving as the face of the FABLE robot. v1.0 and v2.0
  • Featuring a programmable articulated face with 2 reactive eyes, eyelids and eyebrows.
  • Pipeline Development at Duckling, M2Film, and BaconX: Design & implementation of IT backbone - version control, data integrity, approval process, step-automation and GUI
  • Workflow and Tools R&D at various companies: Workflow optimisation/automation, GUI and process development, design of novel tools
  • R&D of constrained indoor positioning system for the Smartsuit Pro - an intertia-based motioncapture suit
  • Consulting for User-Experience and workflow integration in animation pipeline
  • Masterclass in Python Programming for Artists at The Animation Workshop: 2 days of teaching the basics of using Python in an artistic context
  • Guest teacher in Animation at TRUEMAX Academy: Teaching animation principles, mindset and approach to animation, 2 months.
  • Animation & Story Consultant at Nørgaard & Mikkelsen - Helped develop story of advertisement while facilitating communication between agency and animation studio. Sporadic consulting throughout 2 years of production
  • General inter-department communications between technical & artistic employees at various companies
  • Animation Supervisor at: BaconX, Copenhagen - Magnum (icecream brand) worldwide campaign movie "Release the Beast"
  • Animator at: Animal Logic, Sydney - Animated Feature film "Legend of the Guardians" directed by Zach Snyder
  • Animator at: Double Negative, London - Disney Produced VFX Feature Film "John Carter" directed by Andrew Stanton
  • Animator at: Duckling A/S, Copenhagen - Carlsberg Sport Advertisements: Squirrel and Penguin (Award Winner)
  • Animator at: Various other companies for smaller jobs

:: Further Projects ::

Various
Since February 2002
  • Master's Thesis: Bio-Inspired Robotic Controller with virtual muscles and Cerebellum control. Part of the Neurorobotics subgroup of The Human Brain Project - Ongoing (Finishes September 2018)
  • Bachelor Thesis: Musculoskeletal Predictive Control of Human Locomotion - Simulation-based project using cost-of-transport minimisation
  • University Project: Soft-Robotic Prosthesis for Shoulder Flexion - Designed for re-enabling my grandmother after a fall caused her to lose shoulder flexion mobility
  • University Project: Animatronic Design for Additive Manufacturing - Exploration of functional embedded mechanics for animatronics design using 3D printing.
  • Personal Project: [OMToolbox] Founder of the Open Maya Toolbox, an open source initiative for extending the digital sculpting capabilities of Autodesk Maya. Featured on the official Maya website.
  • Personal Project: [PAIE] Python Animation Import/Export. Open source tool for handling animation libraries in Autodesk Maya. Now used worldwide in various animation and games studios
  • Personal Project: Dynamixel-Maya Connection. Python-based service for controlling Robotis Dynamixel servos from Autodesk Maya, allowing to run live animation playback on a robot.

M.Sc Biomedical Engineering

Technical University of Denmark

September 2016 to September 2018
bio-inspired motor control, advanced linear control design, biomechanics, biomedical product development, CE / FDA standards, physiological modelling

M.Sc Biomedical Engineering - Erasmus+

Politecnico Di Milano

September 2017 to January 2018
Neuroengineering, Systems Theory, E-Health Methods & Technologies

B.Sc Mechanical Engineering

Technical University of Denmark

September 2012 to February 2016
strength of materials, embedded systems, manufacturing, machining and engineering design / problem solving
  • Curious & Interested
  • Resourceful
  • Independent
  • Multidisciplinary
  • R&D and Prototyping
  • Control Engineering
  • Python, C, C++, Matlab
  • CAD Design
  • Manufacturing / Assembly
  • Physiological Motor Control
  • Life Science
  • Dynamical Systems
  • Embedded Systems
  • Living Systems / Biology
  • Biomedical Product Development
  • CE and FDA processes
  • Character Animation
  • Classical Drawing
  • Sculpting / Modeling
  • Music (Percussion)