As Joel Mills’ Offshore Simulation Centre (OSC) team focused on making simulator environments as realistic as possible, “it suddenly clicked for us that you can do so much more with a simulator than you can in real life”.
That realisation led to the creation of a tool set for augmented simulation enabling “beyond real” capabilities and understanding — for example, the ability to fly around the environment to get different perspectives, whether above or below the water, and in extreme conditions.
Operations being done on the spot can also be followed remotely at OSC. If a problem arises, more simulations can then be done live to find the best solution. Again, augmented reality tools allow fly-around views that are impossible in real life.
Mills suggests this is a trend that could see OSC function not only as a virtual prototyping centre with extremely flexible studio facilities but also as a remote operations centre.
OSC is a consortium member behind the recently inaugurated Storfjorden test site for fjord trials of autonomous and remotely controlled vessels.
Meanwhile, an “app store” platform now in development will allow external parties to plug in and test their solutions in the virtual world. For example, an equipment provider can simulate how a crane will work on a digital-library vessel using their own crane app.
“You can go through 100 iterations of a design in a couple of days,” Mills says.
He says simulation is often seen as just a component in digitalisation.
“But I see it as something that surrounds everything — the pillar of a project,” he says.
Understanding how all the components work together is a game changer, he claims.
Within maritime, the company is working in offshore, renewables, merchant shipping and fisheries. Its focus is on complex operations where the risks are high.
Its repeat customers already understand the benefits.
“Scepticism exists but you need to see the result and payback [of simulation],” Mills says.
"All profit is reinvested into research and development, with zero monetary benefit to the company's owners."
"Our profit is innovation,” Mills says — even if that might benefit competitors.
Consequently, OSC has always aimed to break new limits in its field, and Mills says he has the best brains working for him.
He admits he does not know all the ways in which simulation technology will be applied in the future.
“The sky’s the limit,” he says.
