The realm of virtual worlds takes a major leap forward today with the introduction of new features and partners for NVIDIA Omniverse — speeding the internet’s evolution from ordinary 2D into a dazzling world that bursts alive in 3D.
Omniverse — a platform that serves as the connective tissue for physically accurate 3D virtual worlds — is gaining new features such as AR, VR and multi-GPU rendering, as well as integrations for infrastructure and industrial digital-twin applications with software from Bentley Systems and Esri.
Omniverse enables engineers and designers to build physically accurate digital twins of buildings and products, or create massive, true-to-reality simulation environments for training robots or autonomous vehicles before they’re deployed in the physical world.
Since its open beta launch in December, Omniverse has been downloaded by more than 70,000 individual creators. It’s also being used by professionals at over 700 companies, including BMW Group, CannonDesign, Epigraph, Ericsson, architectural firms HKS and KPF, Lockheed Martin and Sony Pictures Animation.
New Omniverse Technologies and Features
New capabilities launched today for Omniverse include:
- Omniverse Avatar, a technology platform which connects NVIDIA technologies in speech AI, computer vision, natural language understanding, recommendation engines and simulation technologies to generate interactive AI avatars.
- Omniverse Replicator, a powerful engine that generates synthetic data for training deep neural networks.
In addition, there are several new features within Omniverse, including:
- NVIDIA CloudXR, an enterprise-class immersive streaming framework, has been integrated into Omniverse Kit — a toolkit for building native Omniverse applications and microservices — allowing users to interactively stream Omniverse experiences to their mobile AR and VR devices.
- Omniverse VR introduces the world’s first full-image, real-time ray-traced VR — enabling developers to build their own VR-capable tools on the platform, and end users to enjoy VR capabilities directly.
- Omniverse XR Remote provides AR capabilities and virtual cameras, enabling designers to view their assets fully ray traced through iOS and Android devices.
- Omniverse Farm lets teams use multiple workstations or servers together to power jobs like rendering, synthetic data generation or file conversion.
- Omniverse Showroom, available as an app in Omniverse Open Beta, lets nontechnical users play with Omniverse tech demos that showcase the platform’s real-time physics and rendering technologies.
Bentley Systems, Esri Connect to Omniverse for Industrial Digital-Twin Applications
Bentley Systems, the infrastructure engineering software company, is announcing early access availability of Bentley iTwin for NVIDIA Omniverse, which will enable next-generation, physically accurate 4D visualization and construction simulation of infrastructure digital twins for the global infrastructure engineering industry.
With Bentley iTwin for NVIDIA Omniverse, iTwin users have the ability to virtually explore massive, physically accurate industrial plants and offshore structures as if they’re walking through them in real time.
Esri, a leading urban design mapping software company, is bringing to Omniverse the Esri ArcGIS CityEngine application, connecting the millions of ArcGIS ecosystem users to the Omniverse platform. Teams will be able to conveniently provide full 3D city models and geographic context with real-time photorealism, unlocking new opportunities to build massive digital twin environments for industries like robotics, autonomous vehicles, retail or telco.
Omniverse Ecosystem Expands
The NVIDIA Omniverse ecosystem continues to grow with new extensions and Omniverse Connectors — live-link plugins to industry 3D design tools being built by a range of partners. Among them are Daz3D, e-on software’s PlantFactory, PlantCatalog and VUE, Radical, Reallusion, Replica, Style3D, and TwinBru. Other partners are building support for Universal Scene Description, the “HTML of 3D worlds” and the foundation of the platform, as a first step to connecting to Omniverse, including Adobe Substance 3D, Clo Virtual Fashion, Golaem, Maxon, Notch, and Wacom.
Omniverse Enterprise Now Generally Available
Omniverse Enterprise has moved to general availability starting today. The platform allows global 3D design teams working across multiple software suites to collaborate in real time, in a shared virtual space, from any device.
Omniverse Enterprise provides flexible deployment, from small workgroups to globally distributed teams through a subscription that includes full NVIDIA Enterprise Support services.
Leaders from a variety of industries have been using and evaluating Omniverse.
CannonDesign, a global architecture, engineering and consulting practice, is using Omniverse to speed up collaborative design.
“With NVIDIA Omniverse, we can iterate rapidly and recreate the realism we get when photographing physical scale models to explore design, iterate and amplify our clients’ voices during the design process,” said Hilda Espinal, chief technology officer and senior vice president at CannonDesign. “As we continue to explore Omniverse, we have high expectations on broadening accessibility, cost savings and enhanced user and consumer experiences. We’re very excited to finally arrive at a point where headaches and associated waste in dealing with software interoperability are becoming a thing of the past and we can much more naturally and effortlessly collaborate.”
Sony Pictures Animation is exploring NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise to enable its artists to collaborate on a single scene from anywhere.
“Sony Pictures Animation has always pushed the boundaries of creativity, in both our storytelling and our visuals. NVIDIA Omniverse will provide an exciting foundation for continued innovation toward that goal,” said Yiotis Katsambas, executive director of Technology at Sony Pictures Animation. “Omniverse will give our artists the ability to explore complex environments during the story and visual development process — regardless of their physical location — enabling our studio to collaborate seamlessly in ways that were previously impossible.”
Epigraph, a product visualization company, is using NVIDIA Omniverse to speed its workflows.
“Working with brands like Yamaha, EGO and Restoration Hardware requires Epigraph to produce incredibly accurate and compelling digital experiences at light speed,” said Caleb Dermyer, co-founder of Epigraph. “NVIDIA Omniverse has proven the power of real-time, path-traced visualization so we can go from customer concept to live product experiences in record time.”
Ericsson, a leading telecommunications company, is using the Omniverse platform to create a digital twin that simulates and visualizes signal propagation to accelerate feature development and insights in 5G networks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5w_aZfncO0
Availability and Pricing
NVIDIA Omniverse platform for individuals is available for free download at nvidia.com/omniverse. The NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise solution is available worldwide through global computer makers BOXX Technologies, Dell Technologies, HP, Lenovo and Supermicro, and distribution partners Arrow, Carahsoft Technology Corp, ELSA, Ingram-China, Leadtek, OCS, PNY and SB C&S. Customers can purchase Omniverse Enterprise subscriptions directly from these resellers or via their preferred business partners.
For customers interested in a trial program, Omniverse Enterprise is available in two forms to new users at no charge for up to 30 days. For those wanting to run the evaluation on their own infrastructure, an Omniverse Enterprise 30-day evaluation is available upon application on NVIDIA.com. Partners may also lead customer proofs of concept through their own demo/POC centers using a not-for-resale license delivered to them by NVIDIA.
A complete list of partners as well as information on pricing is available on the Omniverse Enterprise webpage.
Register for free to learn more about NVIDIA Omniverse during NVIDIA GTC, taking place online through Nov. 11. Check out NVIDIA Omniverse Developer Day and the User Group. Watch NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s GTC keynote address below.