News & Press Releases
Military
Technology (MilTech) Interview with CEO John Nicol
Military Technology (MilTech) Magazine, based in Europe,
recently interviewed CEO John Nicol and featured the interview
in the June edition. The interview discusses Acron and
recent work we have done around the world. The full
article can be downloaded
here. (1Mb pdf file).
Vanguard Magazine
Interview - Virtual Flight: networking air operators
June 11, 2009 -
Vanguard Magazine interviewed Scott Arbuthnot
regarding some of the work that Acron is performing at the
Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre (CFAWC). Acron provides
the Acron SimX application to connect Microsoft ESP into a DIS
simulation network as well as services. To read the full
article, click
here.
CFRA Radio
Interview with CEO John Nicol
June 8, 2009 -
Ottawa local radion station (CFRA) Friday Market Monitor
interviews CEO John Nicol about the company. To listen to
the interview click
here (MP3
format).
New Brunswick
Business Journal News Item
June 1, 2009 -
New Brunswick Business Journal has published an
interview with Larry Sampson, VP Knowledge Management in our
Fredericton office. The
article discusses our OpSimX application.
Larry Sampson, Acron VP Knowledge Management
See Acron at
CANSEC 2009
May 25, 2009 -
Join Acron at booth 1207 at CANSEC 2009. We will be
showing and discussing our range of products and services and
also showcasing our training and simulation offerings for KMW in
Canada.
Ottawa Business
Journal Article
May 20, 2009 - Acron appears in the Ottawa Business Journal discussing
modelling and simulation as a cost effective training tool.
See the full article
here.
Acron Speaks at
the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Canada, Serious Games Track
May 13, 2009 - Acron CEO John Nicol spoke at a session of the Game Developers
Conference (GDC) Canada, 12-13th May in Vancouver. The
"Future Play" session at GDC covered the use of Serious Games
within various industries and education. John Nicol is
recognized as one of the pioneers in the industry using gaming
technology for serious training applications since 1991.
See us at IDET
2009
May 4, 2009 - Visit us at
IDET 2009, Prague, Czech Republic, Pavilion F, stand 001.
We are very pleased to be supporting our new distributor in
Eastern Europe,
Millenium Gate Company. We will have staff at the
booth with our latest version of the Acron 3D Modeller and
demonstrating some of the other technology we are working on.
Acron is a Top 40 Canadian Defence Company
April 29, 2009 - Acron is pleased to announce that it has been named as one of
Canada's Top 40 Defence and Public Safety Companies by the
Canadian Defence Review.
AEPR Marketing Video
April 15, 2009 - Acron has been busy again! We are showcasing a marketing
video that highlights the work that Acron and Microsoft
performed for the United Nations World Food Programme, Asia
Emergency Preparedness and Response (AEPR) initiative.
The video can be viewed
here.
Acron in the Media
January 15th,
2009 - Acron has again been
in the news across the world. From television, radio,
online and news print, people are finding out about our
world-class applications and business activities. Here are
some of the latest stories and highlights:
News and
Press Releases 2008
December 1, 2008 Ottawa,
ON and Orlando, FL:
New software engine powers experiential learning - enables field
operators and managers to train and operate using the same
system.
Acron Capability Engineering, a firm specializing in
distributed learning and
simulation, and mission management and integration, has unveiled a
new training and operations software platform, called Acron
OpSimXT,
that effectively changes the way individuals train for and manage
responses to crisis situations. Unveiled at the 2008 IITSEC
conference and trade show in Orlando Florida, the new software
application enables field operators and managers to train and
operate using the same system.
“Acron OpSimXTM
delivers a multi faceted, operations management capability that
helps field managers and operators share information, observe their
environment, orient assets, decide on appropriate response and act
in a decisive and coordinated manner", said John Nicol, Acron’s CEO.
According
to Larry Sampson, Acron’s VP of Knowledge Management, "OpSimXTM
identifies, validates and communicates new knowledge to those who
need it while at the same time integrating lessons learned into
repositories ensuring those on the ground are equipped to perform
their duties effectively."
Scott
Arbuthnot, Vice President of Product Development noted some of the
important features of the new product. “The technology uses an
embedded simulation management environment that generates and
manages scenarios, creates missions, events and roles, manages the
simulation and federation. Most importantly,
OpSimXTM
enables clients to train as they will operate and operate as they
have trained.”
Click Here to learn more about Acron OpSimX
Acron in The Daily
Gleaner
November 20, 2008 -
Acron is featured in the Business Section of The Daily Gleaner
newspaper. Our VP Knowledge Management, Larry Sampson is
interviewed.
Click here to go to the Article
November 17, 2008 -
Acron
is featured in a CTV television news story. Our Disaster Preparedness and Response simulation and
operations framework is highlighted.
CTV News Item Link.
(PS. CEO John Nicol is former New Zealand Army not Canadian
Forces.)
October 2, 2008
- Acron Capability Engineering of the National Capital
Region and Fredericton, New Brunswick, and Krauss Maffei Wegmann
Military Training and Simulation of Munich, Germany, have announced
a strategic business alliance in Canada. Acron is now KMW’s partner
in Canada for training and simulation systems in the defence and
security marketplace.
“The synergy,
experience, and expertise of our two companies will produce training
systems of excellent value and scope for Canada’s front-line
soldiers”, said John Nicol, CEO of Acron.
To launch the
partnership, the two companies have joined forces to develop and
deploy best-in-class training systems in Canada for the Army’s Leopard 2A6 (main battle tank).
“We wanted a
partner who would bring strong training and simulation skills
combined with real-world military experience to the table. The Acron
team has this important combination”, said Dr. Dirk Schmidt, Senior
Vice President Training and Simulation for KMW.
KMW Training and
Simulation has been developing training concepts and training
equipment for both military and civil applications for more than 30
years. With a lifetime of hands-on experience in the defence and
security sectors, KMW is in a strong position to guarantee its
customers effective, efficient, and customized training and
simulation solutions.
Acron has
specialized capabilities in distributed learning, distributed
simulation, distributed mission operations, and simulator
Integration. The company also builds and manufactures simulators of
various types. In addition, Acron has specific experience with Army
training methodologies and the company provides Learning Management
System content development, courseware development, instructional
design, and other related services. Acron is currently providing
these services to the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown,
including current work at the Armoured School.
Announcement
Advertisement
April 9, 2008
- Acron Capability Engineering has announced version 2.0 of
Acron 3D Modeller their powerful integrated 3D modeling tool for
simulation and game real time graphics.
The Acron 3D
Modeller is the first content development tool to support the new
Microsoft® ESP™ simulation platform and incorporates many advanced
features that allow the easy reuse of content from legacy systems. Acron
was one of the original launch partners of the Microsoft ESP
platform. This is the tool of choice for many organizations wishing
to re-use their model libraries for ESP.
Click
here to view the full press release.
 
April 8, 2008
- John Nicol CEO of Acron Capability Engineering was recently
invited to make a presentation and facilitate part of the World Food
Bank’s regional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Workshop held in
mid March in Bangkok, Thailand. John spoke on the subject of
Communities of Practice and advances in non-text based learning.
Commenting on his
participation, John said: “Simulation and non-text based learning
can be applied to many situations and disaster relief including food
distribution is a good case in point. I believe the delegates
gained new insight into how simulation technologies and applications
can help their humanitarian efforts. I am grateful for the
opportunity to have Acron involved in the workshop.”
Click
here to view the full press release.
April 2, 2008
- Acron Capability Engineering announced today that the company
recently completed the delivery of a reconfigurable “threat entity”
simulator to Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).
This particular
simulator solution was developed using the Microsoft® ESP™ visual
simulation platform along with Acron’s HLA IEEE 1516 interface now
known as Acron SimX. The system combines a helicopter and a fast jet
simulator on a laptop computer to provide changeable “enemy”
threats. This simulator is initially being used to provide threats
to a C130 Hercules Observer Trainer. As part of the simulation,
Acron developed basic air-to-air guided and unguided missiles and
effects as well as cannons and flares. These objects and
interactions are also published on the simulation network through
the Acron SimX product.
John Nicol, CEO of
Acron described the development of the simulator as a significant
one for the company. “The value and the strength of this simulator
is that it was developed very quickly using the new Microsoft ESP
platform and it operates through an HLA interface which allows it to
connect to the existing simulators in use by the Department of
National Defence. ”
Click
here to view the full press release.
1 February,
2008 - Ottawa Business Journal
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/290883420535741.php
Extract from the article:
"The legacy training and simulation market is ripe for a
disruptive influence; one that brings simulation learning to a much
broader market and drives down the cost of simulators within
traditional markets."
— CEO John Nicol
With the training and simulation market ripe for a disruptive
change, Acron wants to lead the charge.
And its technology, which produces high quality three-dimensional
models for simulations, is already pushing the envelope.
Released in November 2007, its integrated 3D modelling technology
for graphics and simulators targets the modelling, simulation and
gaming (MSG) industry. It is also the first 3D tool designed to work
with Microsoft's recently launched visual-simulation platform,
called ESP. The company also released a high-level architecture
interface for ESP.
November was a busy month for the company, which also opened a
new office in Gatineau to house its simulation lab and development
staff, as well as a knowledge management centre in Fredericton.
The company hopes to build a network of offices across the
country and bring desktop simulators to military bases across
Canada. Police forces have also shown interest in the technology.
With its relative low cost, Acron's technology promises to ease
pressure on budgets and increase the speed at which soldiers get
essential training.
But until the armed forces change the way training is supplied
and move to the easy-to-use platforms that connect seamlessly, there
will be a market for the company's Info X product, which helps
facilitate communication between the mishmash of simulators already
in use.
News and
Press Releases 2007
November 27, 2007 - Acron
Capability Engineering today announced its first two products
for the new simulation platform Microsoft ESP: Acron 3D Modeller
and Acron ESP™ HLA Interface.
The Acron 3D Modeller allows users to create and optimize 3D
Models for their simulation environment. It is the premier 3D
modeling application for real-time visual simulation and
includes Serious Games model format import and export
capability. Models created with the application can be used
directly with Microsoft ESP and the Acron 3D Modeller allows the
conversion of other model formats for re-use with Microsoft
ESP.
The new Acron ESP HLA Interface released
today allows military simulators to take advantage of the
Microsoft ESP platform for immersive learning experiences.
Commenting on the announcement, Acron CEO
John Nicol said that he was pleased to be offering products for
Microsoft ESP. “Microsoft ESP is changing the landscape of the
industry; allowing developers to quickly build content-rich
applications and enabling customers to distribute them in a very
cost effective and efficient manner to a broader set of users
than previously possible. It is exciting for Acron to be among
the first industry partners to bring compelling and affordable
simulation solutions to the market for Microsoft ESP.”
“Having Acron on board adds to the
Microsoft ESP team’s depth and understanding of the simulation
marketplace. We look forward to an ongoing and productive
relationship as we work together to make it easier for our
customers to increase immersive learning and modeling
experiences with the Microsoft ESP platform”, said David Boker,
Senior Director, Business Development Group, Microsoft ACES
Studio, Microsoft Corp.
Click Here for a copy of the release.
Click Here
for the Acron ESP HLA Interface Data Sheet.
November 27, 2007 - Acron
Capability Engineering today announced the release of Acron ESP™
HLA (High Level Architecture) Interface for the Microsoft ESP™
visual simulation platform. Acron built the interface using the
SIMplicity® integrated development environment from Australian
company, Calytrix.
The new Acron ESP HLA Interface released
today allows military simulators to take advantage of the
Microsoft ESP platform for immersive learning experiences.
Acron CEO John Nicol said “Our existing
HLA 1.3 interface to Microsoft Flight Simulator™ needed to be
upgraded to support IEEE 1516 and the new Microsoft ESP
platform. SIMplicity allowed us a very easy upgrade path to
achieve our new interface and also now allows us to build
additional support for different Run Time Infrastructures and
interoperability standards quickly and efficiently.” He added,
“I would recommend SIMplicity to anyone that wants to build new
HLA or DIS interfaces, or upgrade their existing interfaces.”
Shawn Parr, Calytrix’ Managing Director
commented, “SIMplicty gives Acron great flexibility and
maintainability for their new Microsoft ESP HLA interface, so
that the interface can grow and adapt easily as HLA evolves over
time.”
November 21,
2007 - Want to experience what it’s like to take the
controls of the A320 Airbus or to pilot a Bell 412 military
helicopter? Delegates to this year’s
Interservice/Industry
Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) can do
just that in the booth of Acron. Both simulators are part of
Acron’s display at the November 26 to 29 I/ITSEC conference and
trade show in Orlando.
In addition to the
A320 and Bell 412 helicopter simulators, Acron is also featuring
a desktop simulator of the F18. Acron is highlighting the
integration of COTS and Serious Gaming applications into
military Command and Control (C2) and High Level Architecture (HLA)
systems. Visitors to the Acron booth will also get a chance to
observe Acron’s Command and Control Information Exchange
Architecture and the Acron’s integration of Knowledge Management
system with simulators.
Acron will also be
providing a preview of their next version of their innovative 3D
Modeller application. This supports a wide range of 3D formats
and allows the rapid transition of older legacy models into more
widely supported formats.
John Nicol, CEO
of Acron, commented on the company’s offerings by saying:
“We’ve broken a lot new ground with our simulation products and
I think delegates to IITSEC will be interested in seeing what we
have accomplished since last year.”
Acron will also
have at the show its first two products for a new simulation
platform that is being introduced at this year’s event. The
products are the Acron 3D Modeller and Acron’s HLA Interface to
the new application. Acron is in Booth 3346 at I/ITSEC.
November 16, 2007
- We are pleased to announce the opening of two new
Acron Provincial offices in Quebec and New Brunswick.
The Gatineau, Quebec building houses our Simulation Lab
and development staff and the Fredericton, New Brunswick
office is our Knowledge Management centre. These
new facilities are part of our nationwide efforts to
build centres of excellence in locations where there are
highly skilled staff.
Ottawa Citizen Interview of CEO John Nicol
October 30, 2007
- Acron is highlighted on page 1 of the Business Section in
the Ottawa Citizen. This article focuses on the success of
Acron's Serious Games development and integration. The
full article can be read online
here.
Photo Rod MacIvor, the Ottawa Citizen
"Acron Capability Engineering CEO John Nicol at the controls of his
company's Bell 412 helicopter simulator. The growth of the
electronic gaming industry in Canada has been beneficial for
companies like Acron. Mr. Nicol believes gaming technology has the
potential to produce a revolution in military modelling and
simulation."
1 May 2007
- Acron recently completed the integration of the
Serious Game application VBS1 (Virtual BattleSpace
version 1 from Bohemia Interactive) to JCATS (Joint
Conflict And Tactical Simulation) for the Land Force
Quebec Area Simulation Centre at Canadian Forces Base (CFB)
Valcartier, Quebec. The integration project uses the
Calytrix "LVC Game" application to provide the interface
between VBS1 and an HLA 1516 federation. Acron used
the Synthetic Environment Development and Exploitation
Process (SEDEP) to design and implement the simulation
used for the project and also developed the scenario to
prove that the interface worked. Using LVC Game was
quick and relatively intuitive, making the
implementation of the resulting simulation straight
forward. "We only really had two weeks to do the
integration because we received JCATS and the terrain
area very late in the project. However, because LVC
Game was easy to use and implement, it took a lot of the
risk out of the project and we were still able to
integrate on time." said John Nicol, CEO of Acron. The
project also included the build and delivery by Acron of
several 3D Models that will be used by the Canadian
Forces in various simulators.
Major Ben Cote, the Director of the Simulation Centre
added, "Connecting VBS to JCATS now provides us with the
ability to train up to 100 to 150 people, with
individual soldiers participating in the simulation.
Previously, we were only able to train the
commanders and certain key personnel in this type of
environment due to the cost and complexity of the
simulators available. The use of VBS connected to our
existing simulators means that a whole new level of
training is available to us."
The JCATS to VBS1 integration project lays the
foundation for the use of VBS with existing simulators
currently in use within the Canadian Forces. Exercises
are currently being planned that will further develop
this capability. Acron is very pleased to be involved
with these exercises and at the forefront of Serious
Games integration.
 
Click
on the above images to view a larger version.
10 April 2007
-
After much anticipation, Acron is
pleased to announce that the Acron 3D Modeller Version 1.0 is
now shipping. The pre-release candidate 1.0 that was
distributed during the I/ITSEC trade show in December was very
well received and functionality suggestions and improvements
have been made to make the product even better! Our
introductory price remains at US$995 with NO ANNUAL MAINTENANCE
FEES! You only pay for major point releases, all other
upgrades are free!
10 April 2007 - Acron is pleased to announce the launch
of our new online support and user community forum in
conjunction with our Acron 3D Modeller launch. Go to
http://forums.acroneng.com and join today to get the latest
news, tips, content and free models for the Acron 3D Modeller!
3 April 2007 - We will be exhibiting at the Canadian
Defence and Security Association annual tradeshow called
CANSEC 2007 this year for the first time. Come and see
us at Booth 123 and pick up a free trial CD of our Acron 3D
Modeller software and see our demonstration of our Information
Exchange Architecture at work.
News and Press Releases
2006
20 November 2006
– Today we are launching our
new logo and branding. Over the next few weeks we will
continue to update our branding and our website with the new
Acron pyramid logo and look and feel. We will be making
some minor changes to the navigation on our site as well.
Our new brochures are in the Downloads
section of our site and next week we will launch our
new Modelling and Simulation application,
Acron 3D
Modeller in time for I/ITSEC
2006!
19 October 2006
– Acron is pleased to announce
that we will be participating in the Interservice/Industry
Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC)
in Orlando, Florida 4 - 7 December 2006. See us at Booth
#2282. We will be showcasing our Training and Simulation
products, our Enterprise Architecture solutions and making some
very exciting product announcements and launches!
19 July 2006
–
Acron Capability Engineering, a leader in defence, public
safety and emergency response solutions, announced today that
they have been awarded a contract with Defence Research and
Development Canada (DRDC), Toronto to deliver and support a
five-station Immersive Group Simulation system. The pod-based,
networked soldier simulation environment is provided by Atlantis
Cyberspace, the leading virtual reality dismounted force
simulation provider in the world.
Atlantis
Cyberspace (www.atlantiscyberspace.com) also announced a teaming relationship with Acron
Capability Engineering as the prime partner for all Canadian
sales of the Atlantis Cyberspace “Immersive Group Simulation”
system. “We are looking forward to a long and mutually
beneficial relationship with the Acron team” said Atlantis
Cyberspace CEO, Laurent Scallie. “We are very excited about
this technology and what it will do for individual and
collective training. Atlantis has a great team and a great
vision and it is a very good fit for how Acron does business”
said Acron CEO, John Nicol.
News and Press Releases
2005
23 August 2005
- Acron is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a
Supply Arrangement through Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC) for Professional, Engineering and Technical
Support Services. This Supply arrangement supports all Defence
Systems and Equipment for Maritime, Land and Air environments.
Acron Will Assist Thales Systems Canada on DND Griffon Mothership Simulation
Project
29 June 2005
- Thales announced today that it has been awarded a contract by
the Department of National Defence (DND) for the Griffon
Mothership (GMS) simulation project.
Acron Capability Engineering was selected by Thales to provide
the Lead Systems Engineering staff responsible for the delivery
of the technical solution to DND. The project, based around
four Griffon Helicopter Simulators, is part of the Canadian
Advanced Synthetic Environment (CASE) project.
CASE is a pan-defence initiative to rapidly create distributed
simulations for a spectrum of defence applications, from concept
development and experimentation, to weapon system management,
mission rehearsal, and operator and maintainer training. This
activity will define processes and technical architectures,
based upon a open modular construct, to link virtual simulators
with legacy and new models, databases and tools. Canadian
Modelling and Simulation assets are now dispersed over a number
of different agencies, including tactical units, research
laboratories, universities, training institutions and
weapon-system managers, dispersed over distances of several
thousand kilometres. The architecture, defined by Acron as part
of the Thales team, will allow rapid federation development and
execution of multiple simulations and will confirm the concept
of applying open standards and Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
technologies.
The CASE definition contract will define a capability critical
to DND for the achievement of its goals of reducing acquisition
timelines, and developing net-enabled capabilities.
Acron Moves to New Office
24 May 2005
- Acron has moved to a new office on the 6th
Floor of the Corel Building at 1600 Carling Avenue in Ottawa
from our old office on Albert Street.
The class-A office suite includes an expanded space for our
development staff as well as a C4ISR and
Simulation laboratory.
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