DFG research center MATHEON

Feature films, TV shows and computer games are almost unthinkable without special effects. Superheroes fly through the air, magic wands sparkle and monsters come to life. Berlin’s DFG Research Center MATHEON makes sure these effects look deceptively real.

MATHEON is a joint effort by the mathematicians at the Freie Universität Berlin, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Technische Universität Berlin, the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics and the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB). “It is a project recognized worldwide in the field of applied mathematics,” notes Konrad Polthier, a mathematician and professor an at the Freie Universität Berlin.

Mathematical Methods Make the Difference

At MATHEON, roughly 200 researchers are currently working on around 80 projects in the fields of education, finance, life science, network optimization, optical components, production and visualization.

“Our mathematicians simulate effects by running physical laws through mathematical algorithms,” says Konrad Polthier. “We provide mathematical methods and procedures that can be applied in any number of effects.”

Konrad Polthier explains: “The original models for dragons, monsters and other mythical creatures are often small. Laser beams are then used to scan these models and create a “cloud” of points. Using computers, these points are connected into a net model. However, many errors occur in this process that lead to the object having no sharp edges.” Polthier’s algorithms provide a means to smooth these edges in a very fast and high-quality manner. 

In other words, animated film sequences are not as easy to create as you would think. Konrad Polthier uses the film “Shrek the Third” as an example: “Roughly 20 terabytes of disc space were necessary in this case. This corresponds to a storage capacity of roughly 100 PCs. The computers were in use for 20 million hours in order to get the animated figures to appear as real as possible. The equations submitted by Polthier and his team are able to reduce these numbers significantly.

Hollywood’s Superheroes Come to Life in Berlin

One of the beneficiaries of this math know-how is the Berlin-based company mental images, one of the world’s largest animation producers. Employees there are responsible for “calculating” some of Hollywood’s biggest superheroes. Using software based on MATHEON algorithms, they are able to seamlessly connect animated scenes with live-action sequences so that audiences are no longer able to distinguish between the two.

Both Konrad Polthier and Ludwig von Reiche, managing director of mental images, are committed to Berlin as a great location for science and research. Polthier notes: “A significant number of our best mathematicians  work at MATHEON, and the region’s film industry is exciting and continues to grow.”