RSi’s New Visual Displays Are Epic

Tai Duong, President, RSi Visuals, responds to five questions posed by Marty Kauchak, Halldale Media Group Editor.

MS&T: Please update MS&T readers on where they will find RSi products and systems in military training enterprises.
Tai Du

ong (TD): RSi Visuals has provided visual systems for a range of military entities in many different countries around the world. Our Epic View collimated visual display systems are typically used in transport aviation applications where the highest-fidelity performance is required. Our Epic Dome direct-projected displays and Stellar Dome rear-projected displays are well-suited for training environments that require large fields of view.

MS&T: Highlight some of the recent requirements RSi is receiving from defense customers for visual and related systems. Are there any trends of interest, in terms of technology or lifecycle support?
TD: In the past few years, we’ve seen military specifications evolve in line with technological advances and at times even push the boundaries of what is possible. On average, objective requirements relating to overall field-of-view (the amount of out-the-window scene depicted by the visual system) have increased. Pixel resolution of the projection/display technology, the resulting pixel resolution on screen, and resolution uniformity as observed throughout the entire field-of-view are being specified in a more detailed, deliberate, and objectively challenging manner. We are also seeing an increased emphasis on and more detailed expectations regarding the latency or response time of the visual system to user input in more sets of objective requirements.

MS&T: RSi is also present in the civil aviation market. Discuss some of the "cross fertilization" or commonality of products and technologies you see migrating between the sectors.
TD: We are seeing these trends permeate into the civil market as well. Recently we’ve seen multiple end-users send out solicitations for Level 6 or 7 fixed-wing commercial simulators requiring 4K/UHD projection technology and 100 milliseconds latency, both of which are more than what regulatory authorities currently require. It seems that our civil customers are becoming more willing to spend money on features above and beyond regulatory requirements. We think this is driven in part by the desire to “future proof” these investments, but also indicative of a greater understanding that as consumer-level technology continues to advance rapidly, pilot expectations for visual fidelity in training environments do as well.

RSi is well positioned to accommodate these evolving standards because of our foothold in both markets, but also because we have always been focused on seeking out new technologies that we can leverage in our products to create more innovative, affordable, and reliable visual system solutions.

MS&T: RSi opened an office in Orlando in 2020 and appears to be staffing the site with a number of subject experts. Comment on the imperative RSi saw to establish this corporate "beachhead" and some of your returns on investment from the action. (See  www.halldale.com/new-rsi-division)
TD: Opening our RSi Simulation branch in Orlando was part of a larger strategy to diversify and expand our footprint in the simulation industry. Teaming up with Mick and Ian McBroom to offer a wide variety of comprehensive simulator services has been beneficial for RSi in many ways. We have more to offer our existing simulator owner/operator customers and we are able to gain recognition and trust under the RSi name with new customers who we weren’t servicing on the visuals side (yet!). The Orlando team are renowned in the industry for being experts at what they do and we are glad to be benefitting from their experience and reputation. Our two business units are able to work synergistically together and provide resilience for our business, especially during the uncertain events of 2020.

MS&T: And finally, preview for us any new technologies, products or other offerings RSi will make available to the military training market through mid-2022. 
TD: We are now offering 4K resolution at 120hz on both our military and civil visual systems and we have been pursuing game-type rendering in our software that will create more realistic and immersive visuals. RSi has now delivered rear-projected Stellar Dome systems with fields of view up to 330x130° for single-seat pilot training which incorporates the latest projection technologies and advanced rendering capabilities.

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