what is mental canvas?
Drawing in a new dimension™ Mental Canvas™ is a software company that is developing a new class of graphical-media-design system that lies between today's 2D digital draw-and-paint systems and 3D computer-aided design systems, combining the ease and fluidity of sketching with expansive 3D capabilities. Using the Mental Canvas™ system, you can quickly draw out your ideas just as you imagined them in a new interactive and shareable media type. Similar to what the word processor has done for text or Photoshop has done for photography, Mental Canvas™ reimagines the sketch, imbuing it with new capabilities and bringing it fully into the digital age.
The core technology behind Mental Canvas™ was originally developed at Yale University by a research team led by our founder Professor Julie Dorsey. We are currently building partnerships with major design, advertising, and media firms as well as publishers and tablet manufacturers. We are located in New York City and along the Connecticut Shoreline.
our team
Julie Dorsey
Founder and Chief Scientist
Julie Dorsey (PhD, Computer Science, Cornell University) is a current Yale University professor in the Computer Science department with publications and extensive background in computer graphics.
Rod Recker
CEO
Rod Recker (MS, Computer Graphics, Cornell University) is a veteran of multiple startups as well as 17 years at Autodesk with experience in business development and product leadership roles.
Dave Burke
Senior Software Engineer
David Burke (MS, Computer Science, UBC) is a senior graphics software engineer with deep knowledge of the authoring system, 2D and 3D graphics and interactive game development.
Sydney Shea
Product Designer
Sydney Shea (B. Arts in Architecture, Yale University) is a multidisciplinary designer with a thoughtful approach to visual design and user experience.
David Pritchard
Senior Software Engineer
David Pritchard (MS, Computer Science, University of British Columbia) is a senior software engineer with considerable experience in 3D graphics, C++ and image processing.
John Bizzarro
Senior Software Engineer
John is a cofounder of AppAbove Games LLC and an experienced software consultant, with a Masters in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) from Stanford, and a Bachelors in EECS from the University of Vermont.
Leonard McMillan
Technical Advisor
Leonard is a current professor at University of North Carolina in the Computer Science department.
Aaron Isaksen
Technical Advisor
Aaron is one of the cofounders of AppAbove Games, and received a Masters in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Bachelors in EECS from UC Berkeley.
Steven "Shlomo" Gortler
Technical Advisor
Steven is a current professor at Harvard University in the Computer Science department, and is the author of notable textbook "Foundations of 3D Computer Graphics."
Carol Hsiung
Designer
Carol is an architect at fxcollaborative who loves to draw (especially with Mental Canvas).
Veronica Lawlor
Illustrator
Veronica draws fantastical immersive scenes using Mental Canvas technology.