Mission statement

At MatchID, our mission is to connect digital image correlation with engineering excellence.
We pioneer the next generation of DIC tools by seamlessly linking optical deformation measurements with uncertainty quantification, material identification, simulation validation, and fracture mechanics—bridging every step from experiment to engineering insight. We start where others stop.

Connection is also at the heart of our community. Through dedicated training, in-depth documentation, and unmatched support, we empower users at all levels, from foundational understanding to advanced research and development.

We extend this spirit of connection globally, collaborating closely with partners, distributors, and a diverse team of experts who bring rich cultural and scientific perspectives to everything we do.

Our Origins

First steps at university of Leuven

MatchID´s story began in 2008 at KU Leuven’s Technology Campus in Ghent, Belgium. Our goal was to create an open and user-friendly Digital Image Correlation (DIC) platform that helps researchers better understand how accurate DIC measurements are—and how these measurements can be used to identify material properties and validate simulation models.

Today, our platform is trusted by more than 600 academic institutions and R&D departments worldwide.

MatchID was cofounded by one of the inventors of the Virtual Fields Method (VFM), allowing us to seamlessly include this advanced technique for material testing directly in our software.

Pushing Boundaries in Technology and Community

Advancing engineering with DIC

MatchID goes beyond traditional DIC by integrating advanced features:

Virtual Fields Method (VFM): collaborating with co-inventors of VFM, we incorporate this material identification technique directly into our software portfolio, enabling precise mechanical property extraction.
Finite Element (FE) validation: our FE validation module applies a unique leveling approach, as such establishing a true full-field digital twin between simulation models and experimental data, facilitating structural validation of simulations.
Modal Analysis integration: we provide comprehensive solutions for modal analysis, enhancing the understanding of dynamic behaviours.
Fracture Mechanics: from crack detection to J-integrals.

Empowering the community

MatchID is more than a software platform; it is a vibrant community of engineers and scientists dedicated to optimizing research experiments. We foster knowledge sharing through:

Annual DIC courses: expert-led training sessions to deepen understanding of DIC techniques.
Webinars and research program support: ongoing educational initiatives to keep the community at the forefront of advancements.
Comprehensive Wiki and documentation: a rich repository of resources to support users in maximising the potential of our tools.

Scientific expertise

Unique scientific and technical expertise

Arising mainly from an academic background, the Team@MatchID has very strong scientific expertise in the different topics related to our integrated software platform. We believe that this is essential to adapt DIC solutions to the needs of our customers both in industry and in academia.

Digital Image Correlation – Dr Pascal Lava (Managing Director & CTO) started developing what was to become MatchID in 2008, motivated by the lack of transparency of the commercial solutions available back then. The goal there was already to link up DIC with material identification and to do so, detailed uncertainty quantification was paramount. Pascal is one of the leading figures internationally in DIC as witnessed by his Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) Durelli Award in 2019 and his elevation to Fellow of the International DIC Society in 2018, as well as his numerous papers on DIC. His flagship pioneering article on synthetic image deformation in 2009, cited more than 200 times, has led to some of the most prominent tools in MatchID. Dr Lukas Wittevrongel (Product Manager) has a PhD from KU Leuven where he developed an innovative adaptive DIC algorithm which led to a highly cited journal paper in 2015. His initial training as a control engineer has allowed him to take the lead in hardware integration, among others.

Virtual Fields Method – Prof. Fabrice Pierron (R&D Director) is one of the two researchers at the origin of the Virtual Fields Method, and its main champion over the years. The method, initially developed as part of the PhD of Prof. Michel Grédiac, has gradually been gaining momentum in the international scientific and engineering communities. Fabrice and Michel have written the only book on the method. Fabrice is widely recognized for his scientific contributions through his Fellowship of the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) and numerous SEM awards. Dr Isabella Jacobsen, our figurehead in the US, used the VFM in her PhD at the Colorado School of Mines, together with high-speed imaging during impact of composites.

Model validation – Dr Amar Peshave (Application Manager) received his PhD in 2024 from KU Leuven having studied in-depth model validation from DIC data, coming up with specific metrics to check the validity of a given constitutive model. This article won the Fylde Best Paper in Strain Award in 2025. Mr Vahid Firouzbakht (R&D Engineer), is currently doing a PhD at Ghent University, developing further the initial steps set up by Amar.

Fracture Mechanics – Dr João Filho (Senior Software Integration Engineer) received his PhD having programmed a Stereo-DIC algorithm and applied it to fracture mechanics. He developed our integrated fracture mechanics module and is heavily involved in our advanced calibration processes.