THE #1 AV NEWS PUBLICATION. PERIOD.

Cobra Simulation Uses Scalable’s Projection Mapping and Edge-Blending Technology to Enhance Immersive Virtual Reality Systems

cobrasimulation

Founded in 2012, Cobra Simulation designs immersive dome projection solutions for interactive training environments and active in the civil, military, medical and education markets. With a solid foundation in product development and a strong team of designers, the company combines the latest CAD (Computer Aided Design) applications and Ray Tracing software to offer “cost-effective and innovative alternatives” to the traditional products available in today’s immersive technology marketplace.

Cobra Simulation says it has developed various immersive virtual reality systems, including the Cobra150 Venom, Cobra180 Venom and Cobra320 Venom. Cobra Simulation says its immersive virtual reality systems combine technology, including 8K display technology, patented folded lens systems and motion-tracking technology, to create a full-body sense of presence in a virtual environment. Cobra Simulation has standardized Scalable’s projection mapping and edge-blending technology to enhance its solutions and streamline integration.

“We must provide a high-quality, high-fidelity and highly immersive experience. Many of our clients are utilizing our simulation technology for mission-critical training, ranging from military to medical,” said Cobra Simulation Managing Director Alexander Bradley. “We have our own warping software, known as Cobra OmniWarp, that suits many of our clients, but it’s designed for single-channel applications and doesn’t integrate directly with others. We required a more in-depth solution that we could incorporate into more complex projects. We’ve integrated Scalable Display Technologies because our latest solution includes more than just a single projector.”

Bradley added, “Scalable’s software is designed to warp and blend multiple projectors onto a non-planar surface. It supports, under certain conditions, 3D viewports, automatically calculated and optimized for rendering performance. This lets us build systems with dual viewports, two separate sources of a rendered scene combined into one, and set out on a single projector. Scalable’s software can be fully integrated into the application and easily corrected to the user’s eyepoint.”

Established in 2004, Scalable says it  is the original inventor and patent holder of camera-based automatic warp and blend technology, and develops software that automatically converges the outputs of multiple projectors into a single seamless display. Scalable’s software works on flat, curved domes and completely custom screen shapes. The company says there are no limits to the size or resolution of displays created utilizing Scalable’s software technology. Scalable’s automatic warp and blend capabilities have allowed Cobra Simulation to create a more robust solution for its clients.

“I’ve tested other warp and blend solutions, and Scalable is incredibly unique because its software was designed specifically for simulation and training,” explained Bradley. “Their technology has become a versatile solution for other industries, like entertainment. Many of the other projection solutions on the market are quite the opposite. The technologies came from the entertainment industry and later evolved into the simulation and training industries. There’s a significant difference between solutions originally designed for simulation and training versus those initially designed for other applications. We are deeply ingrained in the simulation and training industry. Therefore, it was vital for us to have a partner that understands the unique challenges of our application.”

Bradley added, “Scalable makes a complex job very simple. The simplicity of Scalable’s technology is a key differentiator to many other solutions on the market. Scalable has several patents allowing it to utilize unique algorithms and processes in its software. As a result, it simplifies the entire process. Scalable allows us to eliminate the complexity of our products. It doesn’t require a deep technical background to calibrate with Scalable.”

Scalable says its in-house customer support team provides extensive experience and technical knowledge far beyond warping and blending. The company says its team has broad expertise in 3D rendering, advanced graphics, machine vision and the latest projection technologies. Scalable says this experience enables them to provide reliable and knowledgeable customer and technical support.

“Scalable is a very agile business,” said Bradley. “They have a fantastic technical and customer support team. Their team is invaluable to the success of the company. Working with Scalable’s team has been excellent. If they don’t have an answer to a question, they will go to great lengths to provide a resolution. It’s precisely the support you’d want from a partner, and you certainly don’t receive that level of service and support from every company.”

Top