mental images®, founded in 1986, is the recognized international leader in providing rendering and 3D modeling technology to the entertainment, computer-aided design, scientific visualization, architecture, and other industries that require sophisticated images.

Its products include the high performance, photorealistic rendering software mental ray® which produces images of unsurpassed realism from computer-aided design and digital content creation data by relying on patented and proprietary ray tracing algorithms.

Other key products, which are also based on proprietary and patented technologies, are mental mill®, a novel tool for interactive, platform-independent shader creation without the need for programming and RealityServer®, the first server-based, scalable infrastructure software platform for creating and deploying 3D web applications and application services that require interactive and collaborative remote creation, editing, managing and visualization of 3D digital content (of essentially unlimited complexity).

mental images is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NVIDIA Corporation. It operates under its own brand and leadership team, including founder Rolf Herken as the CEO/CTO. mental images has its headquarters in Berlin, Germany and offices and subsidiaries in other locations in Europe, North America and Australia. As a wholly owned subsidiary, mental images has autonomy in running its day-to-day business and continues to serve its customers in the dedicated manner it is known for. mental images develops and serves new business opportunities with its software products and custom solutions, including mental ray, mental mill and RealityServer, the platform product for the deployment of 3D web applications and application services.

The combination of mental images and NVIDIA united some of the greatest talents in the visual computing industry. It enables the development of tools and technologies to advance the state of visualization. These solutions are optimized for next-generation computing architectures and create new product categories for both hardware and software solutions.

mental images's products are integrated by the world's leading developers of computer-aided design and digital content creation software into their own products.

mental images supplies, among others, the high-end rendering software component of Autodesk® 3ds max® and Autodesk® VIZ by Autodesk, Autodesk Image Studio™ and Maya®, Avid® 3D and SOFTIMAGE ®|XSI® by Avid/Softimage, CATIA® V.4 and V.5 by Dassault Systèmes, FreeForm® by SensAble and PhotoWorks™ by SolidWorks. In addition to integrating mental images's technologies in their own products on an OEM basis, most also re-sell the standalone versions of mental ray to end users.

mental images's products are used extensively in product design and marketing by the world leading manufacturers of aircraft, automobiles and durable consumer goods and in architectural visualization. Film studios, visual effects specialists and interactive games developers around the world use integrated and standalone versions of mental ray for the creation of digital entertainment content.

Developer versions are available directly from mental images to third parties on an OEM/VAR basis for integration into a wide range of applications, including computer aided design, digital content creation, interactive entertainment and other Web-based and standalone applications.

Direct Customers

mental images's products are in use for many years by some of the most advanced and discriminating users of high-end visualization technology in a number of industries. In addition, mental images is working with a number of them directly in helping them meet their unique, and often proprietary, advanced visualization requirements from the physically correct simulation of automobile lights and textured surfaces to the most stunning visual effects in over 130 motion pictures.

Automotive
Audi, Daimler, Honda, Renault, Volkswagen

Film and Visual Effects
Berliner Film Companie (BFC), BUF Compagnie, DreamWorks, Industrial Light & Magic, The Mill, SONY Pictures Imageworks

Games and Interactive Entertainment
Electronic Arts