Alvy Ray Smith
Encyclopedia
Alvy Ray Smith III is an American engineer and noted pioneer in computer graphics
. He is a co-founder of the animation
studio Pixar
.
in electrical engineering
from New Mexico State University
. In 1970 he received a Ph.D. in Computer Science
from Stanford University
, with a dissertation on cellular automata
. From 1969 to 1973 he was an associate professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at New York University
.
While at Xerox PARC
in 1974, he worked with Dick Shoup on SuperPaint
, one of the very first computer paint programs. Smith's major contribution to this software was the creation of the HSV color space.
In 1975, Smith was recruited to join the new Computer Graphics Laboratory at New York Institute of Technology
, one of the leading computer graphics research groups of the 1970s. There he worked on a series of newer paint programs, including the first 24 bit one (Paint3); as part of this work, he co-invented the concept of the alpha channel. He was also the programmer for Ed Emshwiller
's pioneering animation Sunstone. He worked at NYIT until 1979.
With Ed Catmull
, Smith was a founding member of the Lucasfilm
Computer Division, which developed computer graphics software, including early renderer technology. He and Ed Catmull
co-founded Pixar
. After the spinout from Lucasfilm of Pixar
, funded by Steve Jobs
, he served on the Board of Directors and was Executive Vice President. According to the Steve Jobs biography
iCon by Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon, Alvy Ray quit Pixar after a heated argument with Jobs over use of a whiteboard
. Despite being a co-founder of Pixar, Young and Simon claim that the company has largely overlooked his part in company history since his departure. For example, there is no mention of Smith on the Pixar website.
In 1991, Smith left Pixar to found Altamira
Software Corporation, which was acquired by Microsoft
in 1994. He became the first Graphics Fellow at Microsoft in 1994.
He is currently President, and Founder of Ars Longa, a digital photography
company.
for his scientific and engineering contributions, to digital image compositing (1995 award) and to digital paint systems (1997 award).
In 1990, Shoup and Smith received the ACM SIGGRAPH
Computer Graphics Achievement Award for their development of SuperPaint.
He presented the Forsythe Lecture in 1997 at Stanford University, where he received his PhD in 1970.
His undergraduate alma mater New Mexico State University awarded him an honorary doctorate in December 1999.
He was inducted into the CRN Industry Hall of Fame at the Computer Museum in Mountain View, CA in 2004.
In 2006, Smith was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
.
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
. He is a co-founder of the animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
studio Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
.
Life and career
In 1965, he received his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
. In 1970 he received a Ph.D. in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, with a dissertation on cellular automata
Cellular automaton
A cellular automaton is a discrete model studied in computability theory, mathematics, physics, complexity science, theoretical biology and microstructure modeling. It consists of a regular grid of cells, each in one of a finite number of states, such as "On" and "Off"...
. From 1969 to 1973 he was an associate professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
While at Xerox PARC
Xerox PARC
PARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California, with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems....
in 1974, he worked with Dick Shoup on SuperPaint
SuperPaint
SuperPaint was a pioneering graphics program and framebuffer computer system developed by Richard Shoup at Xerox PARC. The system was first conceptualized in late 1972 and produced its first stable image in April 1973...
, one of the very first computer paint programs. Smith's major contribution to this software was the creation of the HSV color space.
In 1975, Smith was recruited to join the new Computer Graphics Laboratory at New York Institute of Technology
New York Institute of Technology
New York Institute of Technology is a private, non-sectarian, co-educational research university in New York City. NYIT has five schools and two colleges, all with a strong emphasis on technology and applied scientific research...
, one of the leading computer graphics research groups of the 1970s. There he worked on a series of newer paint programs, including the first 24 bit one (Paint3); as part of this work, he co-invented the concept of the alpha channel. He was also the programmer for Ed Emshwiller
Ed Emshwiller
Ed Emshwiller was a visual artist notable for illustrations of many science fiction magazine covers and for his pioneering experimental films...
's pioneering animation Sunstone. He worked at NYIT until 1979.
With Ed Catmull
Edwin Catmull
Dr. Edwin Earl Catmull, Ph.D. is a computer scientist and current president of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios. As a computer scientist, Catmull has contributed to many important developments in computer graphics....
, Smith was a founding member of the Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
Computer Division, which developed computer graphics software, including early renderer technology. He and Ed Catmull
Edwin Catmull
Dr. Edwin Earl Catmull, Ph.D. is a computer scientist and current president of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios. As a computer scientist, Catmull has contributed to many important developments in computer graphics....
co-founded Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
. After the spinout from Lucasfilm of Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
, funded by Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
, he served on the Board of Directors and was Executive Vice President. According to the Steve Jobs biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
iCon by Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon, Alvy Ray quit Pixar after a heated argument with Jobs over use of a whiteboard
Whiteboard
A whiteboard is a name for any glossy, usually white surface for nonpermanent markings. Whiteboards are analogous to chalkboards, allowing rapid marking and erasing of markings on their surface...
. Despite being a co-founder of Pixar, Young and Simon claim that the company has largely overlooked his part in company history since his departure. For example, there is no mention of Smith on the Pixar website.
In 1991, Smith left Pixar to found Altamira
Altamira (software)
Altamira Software was founded in Mill Valley, California by Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, Eric Lyons and Nicholas Clay in 1991.The company's primary product was Altamira Composer. This PC based software pioneered object-based drawing and image editing. Composer was one of the first to bring important tools...
Software Corporation, which was acquired by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in 1994. He became the first Graphics Fellow at Microsoft in 1994.
He is currently President, and Founder of Ars Longa, a digital photography
Digital photography
Digital photography is a form of photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film...
company.
Awards
With his collaborators, Smith has twice been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
for his scientific and engineering contributions, to digital image compositing (1995 award) and to digital paint systems (1997 award).
In 1990, Shoup and Smith received the ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH is the New York–based Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. It was founded in 1969 by Andy van Dam ....
Computer Graphics Achievement Award for their development of SuperPaint.
He presented the Forsythe Lecture in 1997 at Stanford University, where he received his PhD in 1970.
His undergraduate alma mater New Mexico State University awarded him an honorary doctorate in December 1999.
He was inducted into the CRN Industry Hall of Fame at the Computer Museum in Mountain View, CA in 2004.
In 2006, Smith was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.