Quantum3D Inc., a leading provider of COTS, open-architecture, realtime visual computing solutions for the Visual and Sensor Simulation Training (VSST) and Embedded Visual Computing (EVC) markets announced today that the Quantum3D Sentiris PMC 4110, the industry’s most advanced COTS graphics subsystem, was selected by General Atomics for use in Predator UAV airborne radar units and ground control stations. General Atomics is using both convection and conduction cooled versions of Sentiris.
The Predator airborne radars use Sentiris to output an analog feed of system status messages and synthetic airborne radar (SAR) imagery, which is either viewed on board the aircraft in manned situations or transmitted down the UAV data link to the ground station. The Lynx I radar uses the Sentiris convection cooled model; Lynx II and Lynx ER use the conduction cooled version. In the Predator ground station, Sentiris is used to display high resolution SAR imagery to the payload operator. The operator has a joystick interface that allows him to pan, scroll, and zoom the imagery display via General Atomic’s Reconnaissance Systems software interface to Sentiris.
“Sentiris met the very specific product requirements we needed for these Predator components,” said Alan Peterson, Director Combat Systems Integration, General Atomics. “First, we needed a product with both convection and conduction cooled models. We also wanted a graphics subsystem that offered a modern graphics processing unit with good OpenGL® support and had both RS-170 and RGB/DVI outputs. Sentiris met our needs on every count.”
“The Predator program has been very successful by providing the military with an adaptable UAV that can provide crucial reconnaissance and strike capability cost effectively,” said Ross Q. Smith, Quantum3D president and co-founder. “General Atomic’s selection of Sentiris to support the Predator’s critical video display requirements is another milestone in the industry’s application of the product. We look forward to a long-standing partnership with General Atomics on this program.”
About Sentiris
Quantum3D’s Sentiris is the first PMC that brings the power of NVIDIA® GPU technology to COTS embedded visual computing applications. Sentiris’ underlying Quadro4 embedded graphics technology delivers high performance and industry leading image quality, along with a range of features that make the product well suited for a range of industrial and military embedded visual computing applications. Equipped with a 128-bit wide interface to 64MB of high-performance frame buffer/texture memory, and with support for 32-bit 66 or 33 MHz PCI busses, Sentiris is capable of delivering over 2.6 million anti-aliased lines per second, over 3.4 million triangles per second and over 400 trilinear filtered megapixels/sec.
Designed for open architecture applications, Sentiris supports OpenGL 1.2 on both Intel IA32 and PowerPC architecture systems under Microsoft Windows (IA32 only), Linux, and VxWorks environments. Sentiris is compliant with IEEE P1381.1 and is compatible with VME, CompactPCI, PC-104+, and other single board computers equipped with IEEE P1381.1 compliant PMC connectors. For sensor, camera, and other advanced video functions, Sentiris also includes advanced video capture and video-output functionality and supports color space conversion, scaling and overlays for NTSC, PAL, S-Video and RS-170A formats. Sentiris features NVIDIA PowerMizer capability, which enables the unit to deliver unsurpassed graphics performance with low power consumption and thermal dissipation. Sentiris also provides dual independent digital and analog outputs—with 32-bit color and Z-buffering.
About Quantum3D
Quantum3D develops and markets realtime, COTS open-architecture IG solutions, embedded visual computing systems and subsystems, development software and support services for the VSST and EVC markets and is the exclusive supplier of NVIDIA graphics technology for the embedded military and aerospace visual computing market. Quantum3D is a privately held company headquartered in San Jose, California, with development centers located in Phoenix, AZ, Huntsville, AL, and Orlando, FL. For more information about Quantum3D and the Quantum3D family of open architecture visual computing solutions, please see www.quantum3d.com.
Quantum3D and Sentiris are registered trademarks of Quantum3D, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
