LONDON (Virtual NAB 2020) – Ncam Technologies, the leading developer of real-time augmented reality technology for the media and entertainment industries, has announced the availability of its new Mk2 Camera Bar, Mk2 Server and Ncam Reality 2020 software.
The Mk2 Camera Bar not only leverages the Intel RealSense hardware, but has also been heavily modified to perfectly suit the most demanding broadcast and film environments. This means it is now smaller, lighter, and able to mount more flexibly to an even greater variety of camera rigs, with the result that it can be used with a jib, Steadicam, wire cam, and even with drones.
Previous-generation hardware required an Ethernet tether to return tracking data to a server running Ncam Reality software. The next-generation software now runs on the Mk2 Server and can be mounted on the camera or rig itself, meaning all camera tracking and lens data is computed locally. So, Ncam can now offer fully wireless tracking on a standard RF camera link, opening up myriad possibilities for the remote production of AR graphics, as well as freeing up valuable rack space for outside broadcast applications.
The Ncam Reality 2020 software suite has also been redesigned, with key enhancements in several areas, including simplified operation, hybrid feature extraction including natural features, markers and fiducials, wireless-ready functionality with Mk2 hardware, and global performance and stability enhancements. Additionally, the AR Suite software, which in its Lite form comes bundled as standard, provides seamless and future-proofed integration into the latest Unreal Engine 4 toolset, providing a complete out-of-the-box solution for high fidelity real-time VFX.
Other improvements introduced with the Mk2 include: Faster and more accurate setup and calibration, which has been further enhanced by the release of a wizard-driven, role-based UI, reducing the requirement for specialist operators; further enhancements to its accuracy, with the ability to track non-natural features with no requirement to “learn” any marker patterns; increased “ruggedization” with witness lenses now mounted internally; a vastly simplified product offering and pricing model, including options to purchase outright or license via annual subscription.
“This new platform will be the foundation of our technology moving forward,” says Nic Hatch, Ncam’s CEO.