In the corner of the boat show, one could see curious sailors agitating with masks on their eyes. We are on the stand of the hood and bimini manufacturer NV Equipment. Here you can test the new virtual reality system developed (in partnership with DFM) to validate the shape and color of the hood and bimini.
What do we see?
For the moment, the exercise is limited to visiting a 40-foot sailboat on which are fitted a soft top and a bimini. From 5 points of view (3 ashore and 2 in the cockpit), you can see the boat day and night with the soft top and bimini. The controls give you the choice to fold or unfold the protections, but also to scroll through a color palette to find the one you prefer. During the visit, the sun moves on the horizon to view the areas protected by the bimini. At night, you can also appreciate the LED lighting systems integrated in the bimini.
Who is this for?
It is easy to understand the advantages for an individual who wants to equip his boat to visualize it in this way. It will thus be able to move on board, fold or unfold its protections and to realize the color on the line of the boat.
But virtual reality will also be very appreciated by designers with the possibility of checking if it articulates well or if it does not interfere with piano maneuvers for example. Thus, this software can be used to validate the design stages with the shipyards, even before the boat has left the production lines.
What about the future?
Now tested only on a"neutral" sailboat, this system will be developed on motor boats to show the full range of the manufacturer NV Equipment and illustrate the universes covered by this manufacturer (motor boats up to 15 m and sailboats up to more than 50 feet).
From 2017, this complete system will be available at trade fairs, but also on the internet so that dealers can use it for sales.
