flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

PocketCake lunches CPU designed for virtual reality simulations

PocketCake lunches CPU designed for virtual reality simulations

The company's Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly allows for up to eight people to experience a VR simulation at the same time.


By PocketCake | February 27, 2014
PocketCake's VRSCA (for Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly) is three
PocketCake's VRSCA (for Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly) is three times more powerful than the average high-perfor

A new product from PocketCake, called VRSCA (for Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly), is three times more powerful than the average high-performance computer and allows for up to eight people to experience a virtual reality simulation at the same time.

VR enables users to experience immersive, computer-generated 3D environments through the use of specialized headsets and state of the art modeling software. Since the price of VR headsets and software has dropped significantly in recent years, developers are limited only by their imaginations and processing efficiency.

PocketCake is releasing a new product, the VRSCA (for Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly), to remove the limits on processing power and setting developers' imaginations free. 

Most computers are not equipped to handle the massive volume of data contained in a typical VR simulation file. A high performance laptop computer can process the data necessary to simulate a 25,000 square-foot building at a frequency of 25 frames per second.

By contrast, VRSCA processes the same model at 80 frames per second. A 100,000-square-foot model with defined interior and dynamic lighting would crash the average high-powered computer. VRSCA, on the other hand, runs the simulation with ease: no lag; no overheating.

VRSCA allows for up to eight people, wearing headsets such as the Oculus Rift, to experience a virtual reality simulation in the same room at the same time.

Virtual reality simulations for multiple viewers

VRSCA is available in four models: a single viewer, a dual viewer, a 4-person viewer and an 8-person viewer. The single, dual and 4-person viewers are portable. Each VRSCA is capable of hosting as many as 58 viewers remotely. This means simulations can be viewed simultaneously by 58 viewers in different locations.

VRSCA can be equipped with options such as a controller that allows for easy navigation through a simulation and the ability to change spawn points and control lighting.

Stanford graduate and hardware engineering manager for QuEST Rail, Matt Rogge PhD, EE is overseeing design and production of VRSCA. Dr. Rogge's knowledge and experience in railroad control electronics and digital systems provides a key element to the VRSCA project's success.

For more information, visit: www.pocketcake.com/vr.html.

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Mar 15, 2024

Technical brief addresses the impact of construction-generated moisture on commercial roofing systems

A new technical brief from SPRI, the trade association representing the manufacturers of single-ply roofing systems and related component materials, addresses construction-generated moisture and its impact on commercial roofing systems.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 14, 2024

First-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic combines training gym and healing spa

Parker Performance Institute in Frisco, Texas, is billed as a first-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic where students, specialized clinicians, and chiropractic professionals apply neuroscience to physical rehabilitation. 

Market Data | Mar 14, 2024

Download BD+C's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report

U.S. construction spending on buildings-related work rose 1.4% in January, but project teams continue to face headwinds related to inflation, interest rates, and supply chain issues, according to Building Design+Construction's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report (free PDF download). 

Apartments | Mar 13, 2024

A landscaped canyon runs through this luxury apartment development in Denver

Set to open in April, One River North is a 16-story, 187-unit luxury apartment building with private, open-air terraces located in Denver’s RiNo arts district. Biophilic design plays a central role throughout the building, allowing residents to connect with nature and providing a distinctive living experience.

Sustainability | Mar 13, 2024

Trends to watch shaping the future of ESG

Gensler’s Climate Action & Sustainability Services Leaders Anthony Brower, Juliette Morgan, and Kirsten Ritchie discuss trends shaping the future of environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

Affordable Housing | Mar 12, 2024

An all-electric affordable housing project in Southern California offers 48 apartments plus community spaces

In Santa Monica, Calif., Brunson Terrace is an all-electric, 100% affordable housing project that’s over eight times more energy efficient than similar buildings, according to architect Brooks + Scarpa. Located across the street from Santa Monica College, the net zero building has been certified LEED Platinum.

Museums | Mar 11, 2024

Nebraska’s Joslyn Art Museum to reopen this summer with new Snøhetta-designed pavilion

In Omaha, Neb., the Joslyn Art Museum, which displays art from ancient times to the present, has announced it will reopen on September 10, following the completion of its new 42,000-sf Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion. Designed in collaboration with Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the Hawks Pavilion is part of a museum overhaul that will expand the gallery space by more than 40%.

Affordable Housing | Mar 11, 2024

Los Angeles’s streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans

Since December 2022, Los Angeles’s planning department has received plans for more than 13,770 affordable units. The number of units put in the approval pipeline in roughly one year is just below the total number of affordable units approved in Los Angeles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.

BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2024

BIM at LOD400: Why Level of Development 400 matters for design and virtual construction

As construction projects grow more complex, producing a building information model at Level of Development 400 (LOD400) can accelerate schedules, increase savings, and reduce risk, writes Stephen E. Blumenbaum, PE, SE, Walter P Moore's Director of Construction Engineering.

AEC Tech | Mar 9, 2024

9 steps for implementing digital transformation in your AEC business

Regardless of a businesses size and type, digital solutions like workflow automation software, AI-based analytics, and integrations can significantly enhance efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category



AEC Tech

Lack of organizational readiness is biggest hurdle to artificial intelligence adoption

Managers of companies in the industrial sector, including construction, have bought the hype of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative technology, but their organizations are not ready to realize its promise, according to research from IFS, a global cloud enterprise software company. An IFS survey of 1,700 senior decision-makers found that 84% of executives anticipate massive organizational benefits from AI. 


Codes and Standards

Updated document details methods of testing fenestration for exterior walls

The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) updated a document serving a recommended practice for determining test methodology for laboratory and field testing of exterior wall systems. The document pertains to products covered by an AAMA standard such as curtain walls, storefronts, window walls, and sloped glazing. AAMA 501-24, Methods of Test for Exterior Walls was last updated in 2015. 

halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021