disney research

Continuing a legacy of innovation

Disney Research combines the best of academia and industry, by doing fundamental and application-driven research. We publish our work and actively engage with the global research community. Our research applications and technology are experienced by millions of people. We honor Walt Disney’s legacy by deploying our innovations on a global scale.

Our Research Areas

Artificial intelligence & machine learning, immersive technologies, recent publications.

Soft Pneumatic Actuator Design using Differentiable Simulation

Interactive Design of Stylized Walking Gaits for Robotic Characters

Name Pronunciation Extraction and Reuse in Human-Agent Conversation

An Automatic Evaluation Framework for Social Conversations with Robots

Browse Publications

Research Collaboration

Disney Research Los Angeles is strategically co-located with universities, giving The Walt Disney Company an academic and innovative edge.

California Institute for Technology

Pasedena, CA

Internship Program

We attract talent from nearby universities as well as from all over the world.

Academic Consultants

We cannot hire all  the great minds of our generation, but through out academic consulting program we can try to work with as many of them possible.

Disney Research Releases Latest Round of Inventions

Disney Research, The Walt Disney Company’s research and science arm, has been inventing and innovating technologies behind the scenes for nearly a decade. With offices in Zurich, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, the team has filed hundreds of patents and contributed to powering Disney experiences—whether they be films, attractions, merchandise or anything in between.

For Jon Snoddy, studio executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Advanced Development and Disney Research, and team, it’s all about maintaining a creative and technologically innovative rhythm for the entire Company.

“This is an amazing company to be developing technology in because the markets we are in are so diverse,” Snoddy said. “We do everything in the form of entertainment.”

This summer, Disney Research released its latest set of papers before SIGGRAPH, the world’s largest and most influential annual event in computer graphics and interactive techniques. In the mix were several projects that, according to Snoddy, will push the state of the art forward, including a single camera that can capture high-quality facial performance. This device will be a key component of visual effects for movies and computer games, as it is able to unobtrusively capture facial expressions with the robustness of traditional multi-view methods.

Another technology Snoddy highlights is software that adds a new level of control to industrial knitting machines. This invention will allow for the creation of personalized products like never before, such as custom dolls and other items. Knitting machines are almost always used to manufacture many of the same objects, but now, they can create a variety of custom 3-D shapes.

Disney Research also revealed details pertaining to a design tool that transforms objects into intricate works of arts; an animation technique that produces more realistic characters; a method that helps animators capture subtle details of eyes with a single facial scan; and a technique that consistently replicates a 3-D printed object’s feel, no matter what material or printer is used.

Alongside its world-class scientific researchers, the Disney Research team pushes technological boundaries with its engineers, animators, artists and writers.

“We have a unique situation with our research group because we have the ability to surround our researchers with people who are just as good at the content side of what they do as our researchers are with the science,” Snoddy said. “By combining art and science together, we can make leaps that would be impossible if either group tried to do things by itself.”

What’s on the horizon for Disney Research? Snoddy says a major area of focus for Disney Research is interactive storytelling.

“It’s an emerging art form,” he added. “We continue to author new ways for people to experience our characters. That’s something we’re doing a lot of work in, and its showing great promise.”

Welcome to DisneyResearch|Studios!

For over 12 years Disney Research has been at the forefront of technological innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible to help the Walt Disney Company differentiate its entertainment products, services, and content. Our mission is rooted in the long Disney tradition of inventing new technologies to contribute to the magic of the stories we tell and the characters we all love.

Markus Gross

Chief Scientist

DisneyResearch|Studios in Zurich, Switzerland, focuses on exploring the scientific frontiers in a variety of domains in service to the technical and creative filmmaking process. Our world-class research talent in visual computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence shapes early-stage ideas into technological innovations that revolutionize the way we produce movies and create media content.

Our inventions are used in almost every Disney feature film production and have dazzled hundreds of millions of people in audiences worldwide.DisneyResearch|Studios is part of a wider innovation ecosystem operating in close partnership with our technology units at the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Lucasfilm/ILM, Marvel Studios, and Walt Disney Pictures.

To complement our considerable research talent, DisneyResearch|Studios maintains a close academic partnership with ETH Zürich—supporting joint research programs and PhD students—but also collaborates with the best of academia and industry from all over the world. With such a strong academic and creative grounding, DisneyResearch|Studios is a lab like no other—with the unique mission of bringing the magic to life.

Research Areas

• Publications

Research at Disney

• Privacy Policy
• California Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use