INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Engenuity Technologies Inc.
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Patrice Commune
President and CEO
Engenuity Technologies Inc.
Q: What is Engenuity’s background, especially in training applications for the military?
A: Originally called virtual prototypes, Engenuity has been developing COTS tools for the military aerospace and simulation market for over 20 years. Our first offering was VAPS, an HMI tool that truly revolutionized the aviation market—especially in the defense sector—by allowing for the rapid design and embedding of highly advanced cockpit displays. VAPS continues to be instrumental in the development of displays for such aircraft as the F/A-22 Raptor, Eurofighter Typhoon and US101 helicopter.
Engenuity’s expertise in the training and simulation field really grew out of our understanding of the needs of the military and defense systems integrators for fast, flexible, integrated and outof- the-box technology. Now, our unified suite of visualization and training, and simulation software tools stand alone in their class as the only offering that combines mission critical airborne systems, simulation, and artificial intelligence.
Q: What is Engenuity’s biggest advantage in defense and aerospace- related training applications?
A: Integration and time-savings. By bringing together leadership in cockpit design with our advanced STAGE simulation technology, Engenuity is able to help our customers get their work done faster and more reliably. Boeing’s Integrated Tactical Avionics Programs group is a perfect example. Using Engenuity’s COTS solutions, Boeing was able to develop an integrated lab that featured a high-fidelity flight simulator, real-world synthetic environment, and out-the-window visual systems in a fraction of the time that traditional methods would have required.
Another key advantage of the Engenuity product portfolio is that it scales easily, so a simulation can run equally well on a laptop in the field or on a large purpose-built rig. And, because these are COTS products, maintaining the technology and the code-base of these projects is no longer the responsibility of the in-house team, freeing our customers to focus on what they do best.
Q: Do you see any significant changes in the training field in the near term? Is Engenuity positioned for the changes?
A: Absolutely. We are in the middle of a major upheaval in how we conceptualize and deploy training and simulation technology. The nature of engagement is changing, and our men and women in the armed forces are facing a very different enemy; asymmetrical warfare, IEDs and an exceptionally unpredictable urban terrain are facts that our simulations must reflect.
To address these changes, training and simulation developers are now adopting game technology with a view to offering more realistic interactivity and enhanced immersive environments. With solutions like our artificial intelligence software, AI.implant, developers can now simulate the unpredictable nature of the next-generation battlefield. And, our STAGE product line provides the flexibility required by developers to define vast and complicated scenarios involving land, air and sea entities.
Q: How important are partnerships in the training field?
A: Partnerships are extremely important in training and simulation. The ability to offer a unified solution makes all the difference. At Engenuity, we believe in developing strong partnerships with developers of technologies that, in addition to complimenting our own offerings, enable us to provide a more coherent and targeted solution for our customers. Companies like Boston Dynamics, Diamond Visionics, AcuSoft and MultiGen Paradigm are all technology partners with whom we work very closely so that we can provide our end users with a seamless and powerful software offering.
Q: In addition to U.S. customers, how have your training applications been received internationally?
A: Engenuity understands the importance of a quality user base to the development and growth of our technology. BAE Systems, SAAB, AgustaWestland and EADS are all among our longtime international clients. More recently, other technology innovators like Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Europe’s leading provider of armored wheeled and tracked vehicles, have begun to take advantage of our AI.implant solution for their training systems.
Q: What’s on the horizon for Engenuity?
A: Looking ahead, the path is very clear—the future is our nextgeneration simulation offering. This means believable crowds, intelligent entities—whether human or vehicular—deeper, more immersive simulations and ultimately, a more powerful off-theshelf offering for our customers.
Q: As modeling and simulation technologies evolve, how difficult is it to stay ahead of the needs of the customer?
A: We look at our customers as an extension of our internal research and development. Customer feedback and real-world testing are an intrinsic part of the Engenuity development process. So, for us, staying ahead of our customers’ needs means listening carefully to their feedback and letting that guide our development. ♦