Worked as a motion control electronics engineer and contributed to the visual effects for such features as CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and STAR WARS (both 1977), "Battlestar Gallactica" (1978, TV), STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979), LIFEFORCE (1985) and SPACEBALLS (1987). When Apogee went bankrupt, Johnson and his partner Paul Johnson began their own company Lynx Robotics, which supplies motion control systems to countries around the world.  Scientific or Technical Awards (Class II - Plaque) 1977: For the engineering of the electronic motion control system used in concert with the Dykstraflex camera (developed by John C. Dykstra) for multiple exposure visual effects motion picture photography. (w. Jerry Jeffress)  Scientific and Engineering Awards 1988: For their contributions and the collective advancements they have brought to the motion picture industry in the field of motion control technology. Winners presented with Academy Plaques. (w. Bill Tondreau, Paul Johnson, Peter A. Regla, Dan Slater, Bud Elam, Joe Parker, Billy Bryan, Jerry Jeffress, Ray Feeney, Bill Holland & Kris Brown)  Scientific and Engineering Awards 2000: For the electronic and software design of the Lynx C-50 camera motor system. Winners presented with Academy Plaques. (w. Paul Johnson, also of Lynx Robotics)  Technical Awards (Certificate) 2000: To Bill Tondreau of Kuper Systems, Alvah J. Miller and Paul Johnson of Lynx Robotics, and David Stump of Visual Effects Rental Services for the conception, design and development of data capture systems that enable superior accuracy, efficiency and economy in the creation of composite imagery.  Scientific & Technical Awards 2005: Technical Achievement Awards (Academy Certificates) - For the design and development of the Aerohead motion control camera head and the J-Viz Pre-Visualization system. (w. Michael Sorensen; J. Walt Adamczyk) 5 Scientific/Technical Awards