NVIDIA, Autodesk Unveil Cloud AEC Tool for AWS

NVIDIA, a major supplier of graphics technologies, and Autodesk, a provider of graphics and design solutions, have teamed up to bring their respective CloudXR and VRED technologies to Amazon Web Services (AWS), the companies announced in a joint blog post on Wednesday.

The new partnership will provide immersive, hyperrealistic experiences as a ‘Quick Start’ option on Amazon’s platform, anywhere in the world, the companies explained.

What’s on Offer?

AWS’s Quick Start feature allows users to deploy their favourite technologies globally, and the NVIDIA-Autodesk move will offer VRED designers additional support from NVIDIA’s CloudXR tools, along with the latter’s RTX graphics processing units (GPUs) and Virtual Workstation (vWs) software.

Autodesk VRED is often used for professionals designing in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), automotive, and other skilled verticals. With VRED integration in design workflows, users can leverage the platform’s photorealistic immersive environments and boost interactivity with real-time 3D (RT3D) assets and objects.

Users can access these assets and 3D datasets with all-in-one headsets with NVIDIA’s CloudXR and AWS cloud computing technologies, with the former fully scalable for multiple networking scenarios, including edge networks and data centres.

CloudXR also offers a software development kit along with an installer for open-source client apps and servers to integrate OpenVR application-based XR content across Android, iOS, and Windows devices.

Both firms have experienced meteoric growth after pivoting to the Industrial Metaverse, namely after a series of buyouts and the opening of fresh enterprise productivity and cloud computing solutions.

Expanding Partnerships for the Industrial Metaverse

The update comes just months after NVIDIA struck a massive partnership with German infrastructure firm Siemens to develop the industrial Metaverse complete with AI-backed digital twins.

The new platform leverages Siemens’ Xcelerator tool and Omniverse platform, leading to an industrial, cloud-based Metaverse for factories, production firms, and other key facilities.

The tech giant also debuted several open-source technologies at the SIGGRAPH 2022 in August, including its Omniverse Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) for developing conversational AI-powered avatars,

Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO, revealed its Universal Scene Description (USD) programming language, further Omniverse extensions for digital twins, and machine learning (ML) based tools.

Conversely, Autodesk has rapidly expanded its available solutions after teaming up with Epic Games to enhance and deploy fresh tools for AEC workers, leading to streamlined workflows for Autodesk Revit.

The firm also acquired The Wild for its platform and IrisVR collaborative tools, allowing workers to design AEC content remotely and in real-time for its roughly 700 global clients.

Firms such as Helsinki’s Varjo Technologies have also tapped Autodesk VRED immersive tools after it announced its Reality Cloud platform for remote collaboration on major AEC projects.

Experts and professionals recently joined the Autodesk University event to learn about NVIDIA’s CloudXR Quick Start option, with David Randle, AWS’s Global Head of Go-To Market for Spatial Computing, leading the courses.