Alexander Vasilenko Released New Houdini Water Solver
The Guided Bubbles & Wet Foam Solver adds advanced fluid simulation capabilities to Houdini.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Quantum Computing
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Software developer Alexander Vasilenko has released the Guided Bubbles & Wet Foam Solver for Houdini. The tool addresses limitations in POP Fluid by enabling variable particle radii for more realistic water simulations.
Why it matters
The solver was developed to produce more realistic bubble formation and foam movement in high-end visual effects. It improves upon standard fluid simulations by implementing SPH forces including cohesion, viscosity, and surface friction.
The system utilizes a 2D manifold to project foam simulations and implements specialized SPH forces to calculate viscosity and surface friction. It also features locally resimulated fluid and two-way coupling for underwater bubbles.
The players
Alexander Vasilenko
He is the software developer who created and released the Guided Bubbles & Wet Foam Solver.
Wētā
This visual effects company provided the underlying research paper used to build the solver.
Houdini
This is a prominent 3D animation software platform used extensively in the film and visual effects industry.
The details
Based on a research paper by Wētā, the tool facilitates two-way coupling for underwater bubbles and enables the creation of variable particle radii. These features allow artists to overcome previous technical constraints when animating water movement.
Timeline
October 6, 2026
The Tech Race
This release reflects the ongoing effort to bring academic-grade fluid simulation research into accessible production tools. It follows the industry trend of adopting more complex SPH-based calculations to replace legacy particle systems in digital water effects.
Digital artists can now achieve more realistic bubble and foam interactions without the constraints of previous POP Fluid limitations. This allows for more granular control over complex water simulations in commercial animation projects.
The takeaway
The integration of academic research papers into accessible software tools significantly lowers the barrier for high-fidelity visual effects. Professionals should test the solver's two-way coupling to see how it compares to existing simulation workflows.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in digital physics engines within the Quantum Computing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 80.
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