UIC computer science student interns at Pixar

Victor Mateevitsi (left) developed the SpiderSense suit. Photo: Lance Long/Electronic Visualization Laboratory

Victor Mateevitsi is taking his imagination to Pixar Animation Studios.

Mateevitsi’s SpiderSense, a suit that allows users to sense — without seeing — obstacles around them, recently received worldwide attention.

The University of Illinois at Chicago student has now landed a competitive internship at Pixar through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Technology Council.

Mateevitsi, a graduate student in computer science and research assistant at UIC’s Electronic Visualization Laboratory will work at Pixar in Emeryville, Calif., for 12 weeks beginning in May to develop studio production tools.

Last summer Mateevitsi interned at DreamWorks Animation SKG developing improved animation tools. His stand-alone visualization tool allowed animators to view their changes to the movement of characters’ eyes, mouths and limbs in real time — a process that could otherwise take a week or more.

Mateevitsi enjoys the animated movie industry environment, he said, because “you are surrounded by artists.”

Mateevitsi, a resident of Chicago, earned his undergraduate degree at the University of the Peloponnese in Greece.