Autodesk University 2010 Showcases Impact of Great Design

Dec 15, 2010

Nearly 30,000 Experience Power of the Possible Through Industry Keynote Presentations, Customer Exhibits, Hands-on Classes, Labs and Networking

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Dec 15, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

In its 18th year, Autodesk University, the annual user conference for Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, brought together a record number of attendees, with nearly 30,000 designers, engineers, architects and digital artists, as well as members of the news media, industry analyst and investment communities, from more than 72 countries gathering at the live conferences in Las Vegas, Tokyo, Beijing and through AU Virtual.

During the three-day Las Vegas conference, attendees were exposed to innovations in 3D design technologies and witnessed the positive impact of design and technology through industry keynotes, customer exhibits and presentations.

"Great design has always had an impact, but today, the need for that impact is greater than ever. We are facing urgent and complex global challenges that demand our most creative work and innovative solutions," said Carl Bass, CEO and president of Autodesk, during the opening Autodesk University keynote.

Also during the opening keynote, Autodesk chief technology officer Jeff Kowalski talked about how a change in toolset--due to a transformative technology--can inspire a change in mindset. Today's transformative technology is Infinite Computing which uses the virtually unlimited computing power available through the cloud. Kowalski challenged attendees to change the way they are thinking about technology and to adopt a new paradigm to solve their greatest design problems.

"Infinite computing is changing the nature and potential impact of design in important ways," said Kowalski. "Now, we can create amazingly robust design explorations, brilliant visualizations and precise simulations more efficiently and easily than ever before."

The Impact of Great Design

Autodesk invited a broad range of speakers who inspired attendees with examples of design's impact on a range of industries and communities.

Scott Summit, CTO of Bespoke Innovations, demonstrated how his company used 3D design technology to create customized and affordable prosthetics that reflect each person's morphology and personal style.
Franz von Holzhausen, chief designer at Tesla Motors, drove a prototype of the all-electric Tesla Model S sedan onto the AU stage before showing how he and his design team were able to create multiple prototypes of the vehicle using Autodesk software.
Bart Nye, public information officer for CalTrans, revealed how CalTrans used visualization technology to more effectively communicate major transportation construction projects to the public, enabling them to minimize traffic and optimize efficiency.

"Using visualization technology to influence public behavior around transportation projects has been a game-changer for us," said Nye. "We can do things at CalTrans now that we've never been able to do before. We can use these robust visualizations to not only affect, but improve, motorist behavior."

Other highlights from the show included the Design Matters Customer Showcase + Autodesk Labs, exhibits from Autodesk Clean Tech partners Tesla Motors and Pi Mobility and a Mobile Art Gallery, auctioning pieces for charity.

Autodesk University Goes Global, Goes Viral

Autodesk users from around the world came together to network with peers as well as industry and product experts. Attendees had access to 450 classes, 90hands-on-labs -- including 10 Mac-specific labs -- and 520 speakers and instructors. Students and educators, as well as participants in the Autodesk Assistance Program, were given free registration and access to AU Virtual, while all attendees at AU in Las Vegas were offered the opportunity to become certified for free on multiple Autodesk software products. More than 2,900 attendees completed certification exams and assessment tests.

From December 6 through February 11, nearly 100 Autodesk Authorized Training Center (ATC) partners in 20 countries will host more than 400 local AU Extension events, which bring the Autodesk University experience and value to thousands more customers and design enthusiasts across the globe.

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About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries -- including the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6545523&lang=en

SOURCE: Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk, Inc.
Angela Costa Simoes, 415-547-2388
angela.simoes@autodesk.com

News Release

Autodesk University 2010 Showcases Impact of Great Design

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