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Quiz: ETH and the world of moving pictures

ETH Zurich is attending the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) – that’s not a coincidence. Or did you happen to know that some blockbusters are based on animation technology developed by ETH to animate characters or depict realistic landscape features? Take this quiz to test your knowledge of ETH’s presence in Hollywood and other film studios around the world.

by Peter Rüegg

Would you have believed it? In our quiz series, we take you on a tour of discovery through remarkable, peculiar and fun facts from the research and teaching of ETH Zurich. This issue is dedicated to the world of the big picture.

By the way, ETH Zurich also features as part of the fringe external page programme at ZFF. From 30 September to 4 October at the Folium, Sihlcity, visitors can try out ETH's Digital Platform, among other things, encounter a jumping robot or immerse themselves in virtual worlds with an interactive glove. The DisneyResearch|Studios also have some surprises to offer. The exhibition will open on 28 September at 5.00 p.m.

Quiz: ETH and the world of moving pictures

  1. Question 1 of 7
    Robot on a street

    1. Robots often have important roles in science fiction films. What role does the C2D2 robot developed at ETH play?

    • ✓ Correct C2D2 is a remote-controlled inspection robot that can be used to check the condition of structures, such as concrete bridges. Thanks to a propeller that sticks the robot onto the wall, it can even move upside down along these surfaces without falling. Its driving technology lets the C2D2 check places people cannot reach. Further information (Photograph: Peter Rüegg / ETH Zürich)

    • ✘ False C2D2 is a remote-controlled inspection robot that can be used to check the condition of structures, such as concrete bridges. Thanks to a propeller that sticks the robot onto the wall, it can even move upside down along these surfaces without falling. Its driving technology lets the C2D2 check places people cannot reach. Further information (Photograph: Peter Rüegg / ETH Zürich)

  2. Question 2 of 7

    2. Simone Schaub-Meyer, a former ETH doctoral student, was nominated for the ARD/ZDF award Women+Media Technology 2019. What was her groundbreaking development?

      • ✓ Correct Simone Schaub-Meyer developed new solutions for more efficient calculation of intermediate images with numerous additional options. Some situations, such as fast motion or super-slow motion, require far more than the usual 25 or 50 frames per second to produce smooth movements in videos. If, however, the original content doesn’t have enough images, these are generated as intermediate images in post-production by a computer after comparing a previous and subsequent image. Schaub-Meyer resolves this issue in her doctoral thesis. Further information (German)

      • ✘ False Simone Schaub-Meyer developed new solutions for more efficient calculation of intermediate images with numerous additional options. Some situations, such as fast motion or super-slow motion, require far more than the usual 25 or 50 frames per second to produce smooth movements in videos. If, however, the original content doesn’t have enough images, these are generated as intermediate images in post-production by a computer after comparing a previous and subsequent image. Schaub-Meyer resolves this issue in her doctoral thesis. Further information (German)

    • Question 3 of 7

      3. Markus Gross, Professor of Computer Science at ETH, and his team received a Sci-Tech Oscar in 2013. Why did the researchers receive this award?

        • ✓ Correct In February 2013, ETH Professor of Computer Science Markus Gross and other members of his team received a Sci-Tech Oscar for software that enables special effects studios to improve the rendering of smoke and explosions in films. Further information (German) and Video

        • ✘ False In February 2013, ETH Professor of Computer Science Markus Gross and other members of his team received a Sci-Tech Oscar for software that enables special effects studios to improve the rendering of smoke and explosions in films. Further information (German) and Video

      • Question 4 of 7
        Four men with diploma

        4. Six years later, in February 2019, Markus Gross and his team received another Sci-Tech Oscar for software that records real facial movements and renders them into the facial expressions of animated characters. In which Hollywood box-office hit can this technology be seen?

          • ✓ Correct The Medusa capture system developed by the researchers and awarded with the Sci-Tech Oscar was used in 'Avengers – Infinity War'. It uses scanners to record facial movements and then renders them into dense animated grids (meshes), breathing realistic-looking life into animated figures, for instance. The system does not require any anchor points on the face, such as markers or makeup. Further information (Photograph: Cyrill Beeler / ETH Zürich)

          • ✘ False The Medusa capture system developed by the researchers and awarded with the Sci-Tech Oscar was used in 'Avengers – Infinity War'. It uses scanners to record facial movements and then renders them into dense animated grids (meshes), breathing realistic-looking life into animated figures, for instance. The system does not require any anchor points on the face, such as markers or makeup. Further information (Photograph: Cyrill Beeler / ETH Zürich)

        • Question 5 of 7
          Still from the movie Frozen

          5. Disney’s movie 'Frozen' used animation technology from Disney Research Zurich, which is affiliated with ETH Zurich. What did the computer researchers create that gave the winter wonderland a realistic touch?

            • ✓ Correct The snow in the successful 2015 animated film was modelled in Zurich’s Disney Research Laboratory after research in the Swiss Alps. (Image: DisneyResearch|Studios)

            • ✘ False The snow in the successful 2015 animated film was modelled in Zurich’s Disney Research Laboratory after research in the Swiss Alps. (Image: DisneyResearch|Studios)

          • Question 6 of 7
            Students in a hallway

            6. In the Swiss film 'Wolkenbruch', the main character Mordechai 'Motti' Wolkenbruch studies economics at the University of Zurich. In one scene, Motti bumps into a shiksa (a non-Jewish woman) he is madly in love with in the stairwell in front of the lecture theatre. Where was this scene actually shot?

              • ✓ Correct This scene and others were shot in the HIL building at ETH Zurich. In Thomas Meyer’s book, however, the story takes place only at the University of Zurich. (Video still: Youtube/Wolkenbruch Official Trailer/DCM)

              • ✘ False This scene and others were shot in the HIL building at ETH Zurich. In Thomas Meyer’s book, however, the story takes place only at the University of Zurich. (Video still: Youtube/Wolkenbruch Official Trailer/DCM)

            • Question 7 of 7

              7. There was no confusion about the location when famous director Marc Forster ('Monster’s Ball', 'Kite Runner') came to Zurich a few years ago. He visited one certain ETH building, because he...

                • ✓ Correct Marc Forster visited the ETH Autonomous Systems Lab in 2013 because he finds robots and drones fascinating. Since he was in Zurich at the time as jury president for the Zurich Film Festival, he took the opportunity to learn firsthand about robotic fish and drones that are controlled by hand motions. Further information (German)

                • ✘ False Marc Forster visited the ETH Autonomous Systems Lab in 2013 because he finds robots and drones fascinating. Since he was in Zurich at the time as jury president for the Zurich Film Festival, he took the opportunity to learn firsthand about robotic fish and drones that are controlled by hand motions. Further information (German)

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