As LED-based XR is becoming increasingly used, Brainstorm has developed new features that allow for easier, faster and more integrated creation of immersive XR content specifically designed to be displayed on large LED videowalls. With these features, Brainstorm’s clients will see their XR content creation significantly accelerated when creating in-context AR in LED walls, XR Set extensions, or even backgrounds for film and drama production. Suite 5 has a dedicated interface for creating XR installations, which allows for modelling any kind of video wall, including curved, shaped and corner installations, and map the desired 3D content in such model. This facilitates the creation of virtual AR content to be directly displayed and seen by the camera with the correct perspective at all times. Also, by taking advantage of the Layers and Stacking features of InfinitySet, different renders, even with different resolutions and aspect ratios, can be mapped in a canvas of any size and aspect.

In addition, the unique integration of InfinitySet and eStudio with Unreal Engine is now even tighter, allowing for the inclusion of fully editable Brainstorm scenes and templates within an Unreal project, and vice-versa. This is especially useful when creating AR projects within Unreal, which benefit from Brainstorm’s advanced data-driven graphics and broadcast workflows compatibility. This is coupled with the acclaimed UnrealControl feature which supports editing the Unreal Projects directly within InfinitySet’s familiar interface with total ease and control of blueprints, objects and parameters. Suite 5 also features a new, redesigned internal chroma keyer that includes a new mode that embeds the Unreal Engine chroma keyer directly into InfinitySet. Brainstorm Suite 5 is fully compatible with Unreal Engine 4.27 and will be with UE 5.

“Brainstorm has been deeply involved with Augmented Reality and Virtual Production for decades now, and Suite 5 is the result of applying our expertise to the new display methods that broadcasters and filmmakers are introducing into their workflows” says Hector Viguer, Brainstorm’s COO and Engineering Director. “The advanced features of Suite 5 will allow any user to comply with any kind of VR/AR/XR requirement, regardless of how complex it is, and leaving them free to choose the production workflow they feel is best for their production, whether LED walls or chroma keying. We want to be agnostic so we can provide a solution for any requirement.”

Some other features are included, like improved HDR workflows, and better integration with robotic heads from manufacturers such as Panasonic or Sony. Also, Edison, the company’s virtual studio in a box product designed for live events and presentations, will also benefit from some of the above plus its own features as a result of its upgrade to V5.

Brainstorm Suite 5 will be available on March 1st, and will also be demonstrated at NAB 2022 at the Brainstorm booth N2608.

More specifically, JB&A has initially been assigned the distribution of Edison PRO, which will be launching imminently. Through Edison PRO Brainstorm offers an affordable and easy-to-use high-end presentation tool that quickly transforms any live, online presentation, or conference session into a fully immersive experience using Augmented Reality (AR) and virtual environments.

“JB&A provides a unique approach to product and service distribution, acting as a value-added distributor,” comments Ruben Ruiz, EVP, Brainstorm, US & Canada. “They have been able to create best-of-breed product workflows at the distributor level with an extensive list of value-added channel partners, and we look forward to working with them to greatly expand Brainstorm’s footprint across North America.”

“We are delighted to add Brainstorm to our roster of channel partners,” comments Jeff Burgess, JB&A CEO. “Virtual production and 3D graphics in AR/VR/XR are technology trends in high demand in the industry across a growing number of sectors, and Brainstorm’s best-in-class product range is an excellent fit at many different levels for many different use cases.”

About JB&A Distribution
JB&A is a leader in the fields of Video, Broadcast, Production, and Pro AV. They are dedicated to bringing the most innovative and complete solutions to market including: Digital Media Management, IP Streaming, Digital Projection, and Connectivity. JB&A is staffed by industry experts, and is a unique mix of Consultant, Channel Partner, Solutions Provider and Distributor with an ecosystem of certified, tested and proven products and workflow solutions.

For more information about JB&A, please visit https://jbanda.com.

The new H2020 5G-PPP Phase 3 project 5GMediaHUB “5G experimentation environment for 3rd party media services” began its activities in January 2021 with a kick-off meeting held virtually, in which the 17 consortium partners from 11 European countries, comprising of large companies, SMEs, Universities and Research Centers, discussed the plans regarding implementation of the project over the next three years, acknowledging the significant role and potential of 5G. The project is coordinated by the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) from Barcelona, Spain, a leader in 5G research in Europe.

The 5GMediaHUB project’s objective is to develop a testing and validation environment over two existing 5G experimental platforms located in Barcelona and Oslo, in order to create the 5GMediaHUB Experimentation Facility which will constitute an elastic, secure, trusted, all-in-one and multitenant service execution and Network Applications (NetApps) development environment.

5GMediaHUB will offer 3rd party application developers, such as service providers, the opportunity to experiment, test and validate their media applications by using the 5GMediaHUB Experimentation Facility. This will reduce the time needed for an enterprise to make its services available to end-users. The outcomes of the project will benefit the European media industry considerably, particularly SMEs, enabling it to become a force to be reckoned with at a global level.

“In 5GMediaHUB we capitalize on the experience from previous 5G projects in network slicing and orchestration. Existing well-established 5G platforms will be extended during the project in order to test 3rd party media services to enable the EU to achieve its goal of becoming a world leader in 5G”, stated 5GMediaHub Project Coordinator Christos Verikoukis, Research Director at CTTC.

The use cases that will be tested are Immersive Augmented, Virtual and Extended Reality applications; smart media production; and smart media content distribution. The outcomes of the experiments will offer valuable information and insight regarding the 5GMediaHUB Experimentation Facility performance.

“The 5GMediaHub project will allow Brainstorm to use, test and validate 5G technology with its virtual reality and augmented reality graphic applications for the broadcast sector,” adds Francisco Ibáñez, R&D Project Director at Brainstorm Multimedia.

Learn more on this project visiting www.5gmediahub.eu/

InfinitySet can receive the video and tracking information from the Sony cameras and render the virtual scene or the AR objects in real-time, even using photorealistic rendering and Unreal Engine, which creates a stunning visual experience for the viewers, affordable at the same time for any kind of production facility or broadcaster. On top of that, Brainstorm allows the Sony camera remote control RM-IP500 to direct InfinitySet’s virtual cameras. InfinitySet is the only virtual set and AR solution that allows this feature, allowing operators to run complex 3D virtual scenery in a familiar production environment.

In combination with InfinitySet, the BRC-H800 and X1000 are a powerful solution for enhancing storytelling and providing in-context AR graphics from external data sources, due to the advanced features of InfintySet, resulting from Brainstorm’s experience of more than 25 years in the development of real-time 3D graphics, virtual set and augmented reality solutions. The resulting workflow brings advanced AR to companies of any size and budget, by providing a PTZ tracking workflow that avoids the hassle of more complex tracking systems.

“Many of our products and solutions are built with modality and integration in mind so we’re always delighted to see them integrated in new and innovative workflows that broaden creative possibilities for producers and operators. Brainstorm has a series of truly distinctive software for virtual and AR set ups and we’re glad to be partnering with them here”, commented Norbert Paquet, Head of Live Production, Sony Professional Europe.

According to Thierry Gonzalo, Brainstorm’s Product Manager, “Our seamless integration with the Sony BRC camera line-up provides companies of any size to accomplish projects involving virtual sets and AR requirements, by using the PTZ tracking data and exceptional image quality from such cameras. Also, our ability to allow the Sony camera control to command InfinitySet’s production mode permits live production operators with no experience in virtual environments to run any virtual or AR show with total ease”.

Brainstorm and Sony will demonstrate this integration in a public webinar scheduled for March 5th, 2021, so anyone that wants to know more about this advanced workflow can register here.

Brainstorm is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a MegaGrant from Epic Games for the development of Edison, a new Unreal Engine-based template and AR solution targeting the education sector. This new solution will further extend the already deep integration of other Brainstorm products with Unreal Engine, especially InfinitySet, for photorealistic virtual sets and augmented reality applications.

Edison is a new approach to education and the world of presentations as it is designed with ease of use in mind, giving non-expert users the flexibility and freedom to build highly advanced and visually engaging presentations. Edison enables presenters to use existing PPT or PDF files in immersive environments with photo-realistic backgrounds and augmented reality content. Key to the creative powers of the Edison is that it allows the presenters to also be included in such 3D environments with total ease.

Edison is the brainchild of 25 years of experience that Brainstorm has built up in broadcast quality virtual sets and real-time 3D graphics. This new audience is a wide-ranging user base consisting of teachers, lecturers and educators of all kinds and extends out to include those involved in live events and corporate presentations, and all the way through to YouTubers and internet entrepreneurs across multiple sectors. This breadth of user profiles have the same essential need – a sophisticated, yet simple to operate, toolset which will empower them to greatly enhance their presentations, with the objective of better informing and educating their audiences in captivating ways.

According to Ricardo Montesa, Brainstorm’s CEO and founder, “we are delighted with our existing partnership with Epic Games and the integration with Unreal Engine for our current product range, and so excited to receive this MegaGrant for developing Edison. We are sure this product will revolutionize education by using advanced, photorealistic AR, and will also provide new virtual presentation capabilities to other markets such as events, corporate and live presentations, which will benefit greatly from Edison’s advanced features, only previously available in large budget professional solutions.

MegaGrants are financial grants destined to fuel up creative, noteworthy, and innovative projects built in and around Unreal Engine or projects that enhance the open-source 3D graphics ecosystem, and cover a variety of endeavors from game development, architecture projects, and film production to academic uses and software tool development.