Brightline Interactive and Eight360 Debut Virtual-Reality-as-a-Service (VRaaS) Technology at I/ITSEC with the Eight360 NOVA Full Motion Simulator

January 1, 2022
Ashburn, VA

January 1, 2022:  Ashburn, VA - The potential for broader adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)technologies lies in the capacity to overcome hurdles such as high costs, bulky hardware, and the ability to scale efficiently. As with many other industries, we have seen a trend towards the development of “As-a-Service'' solutions within immersive technology, a term used to explain a service that has scalable development potential beyond a one-off sale. Cloud operating systems and low latency connections have unlocked the potential for these “As-a-Service” solutions to take hold in the VR/AR industry, allowing for the natural mitigation of these hurdles. We have reached an inflection point where the convergence of technologies like 5G infrastructure and cloud computing have opened the door for scalable immersive technology solutions like Brightline’s VR-as-a-Service(VRaaS). The capabilities of such promising platforms was on full display at The Interservice/Industry Training,Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) this past November.  I/ITSEC is the world’s largest military simulation and training conference.  As such, it was a unique opportunity for Brightline Interactive to unveil theirVehicle Pilot VRaaS platform, adapted to the NOVA full-motion simulator engineered by their trusted strategic partner Eight360.

At the heart of Brightline’s VRaaS for Operator / Pilot Training is the recognition of a growing demand for vehicle training platforms that are cost efficient, hyperrealistic, and infinitely scalable. To meet these needs, Brightline andEight360 partnered to design an immersive vehicle training simulation which allows users to accurately experience realistic and complex vehicle maneuvers and functionality. The goal behind Brightline’s VRaaS platform is to cut annual training costs, provide greater memory retention and task mastery, and reduce overall training time for any given program.

The distinct and unique advantages of the NOVA ball, paired with Brightline VRaaS were fully realized by the thousands of attendees at I/ITSEC 2021. First and foremost, the NOVAEight360 ball is a full motion vehicle simulator capable of 360 degree, untethered motion and only requires 2 cubic meters of floor space. The NOVA is incredibly portable, it can be moved using a single pallet jack. The Brightline team transported the NOVA ball to I/ITSEC from their headquarters in Ashburn, VA in a standard commercial box truck.

The revolutionary hardware is all supported by Brightline’s Virtual Reality-as-a-Service (VRaaS) platform. The VRaaS platform allows for fully customizable training experiences which can be designed and manipulated according to any individual end user requirements. Brightline’s VRaaS offers a suite of simulation tools, as well as a mechanism of providing data feedback and assessment within each training session. Furthermore, Brightline has partnered with NVIDIA CloudXR to offer a robust cloud-hosted backend enhancing communication and interaction between the trainee and instructor, in near-real time.  The cloud-hosted services can be utilized locally or remotely.

The Brightline VRaaS training platform can be adapted to any type of vehicle and is able to capture the various nuances, specific to the simulation environment desired by the client. On display at I/ITSEC, attendees were able to test out Brightline’s newly developed simulation for the latest GM Defense Army Infantry Squad Vehicle. The company is considering numerous training requirements for their simulation platform and anticipates adapting their technology to address various high-cost programs, such as the F-35 training program.

After experiencing the demo first hand, RADM JamesRobb, USN (Ret) spoke at length with Brightline’s CEO, Tyler Gates.  During the conversation, Robb noted, “It is critical that I am able to see everything and feel everything, simultaneously, whether in an aircraft, ground or maritime vehicle. This is how we train people faster, with more realism. Above all else, this is how we train them to push the limits and fail safely.”  Robb’s observation reinforces the need of the as-a-service model, paired with the full-motion simulator.  

The importance of the technology lies in the no-code content creation capability which allows the customer to create the specificity that matters for their program needs.  The full motion platform, combined with VRaaS, is a first of its kind in the global simulation community. For the first time ever, operators in a simulated environment are able to achieve full visual acuity, in sync with full kinesthetic acuity, providing the content at the same time as the context in a 1:1 real-world simulation.  Tyler Gates has expressed his excitement as Brightline looks forward to 2022 and beyond. He went on to explain this excitement further, “We are particularly excited about our partnership with telecommunications and cloud providers likeAT&T and NVIDIA.  Our upcoming integrations will fundamentally change the global training and technology community, as a whole.”

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About Brightline Interactive:

Since 2004, Brightline team of creative technologists has been creating award winning experiences and simulations utilizing a variety of interactive and advanced technologies, to include VR/AR/MR/AI simulation, forthe government (FEMA, DARPA, U.S. Army, and others), enterprise, and commercial sectors (AT&T, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Warner Brothers, Marvel, Cub Cadet, UFC,Toyota, and many more). Brightline specializes in rapid development of customend-to-end hardware/software solutions utilizing technologies and techniques such as motion, object, optical and facial tracking, touch screen and web applications, complex database integration, mechanical engineering, AI(artificial intelligence), ML (machine learning), CV (computer vision), as well as sensor-integration to allow for utilization of physical objects in virtual reality simulation and training environments.

About Eight360:

Eight360 are a group of innovative engineers and technical professionals building next generation vehicle simulation platforms, specifically the NOVA simulator. Eight360’s team of engineers are leaders in mechatronics, industrial design and software development, allowing us to create groundbreaking experiences for users. Eight360’s Flagship product, NOVA, is a unique untethered VR motion simulator suitable for training, amusement and educational uses. It allows users to experience immersive content with full unlimited rotation on all axes.  

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