Scalable Display Technologies and Q4 Services announce a teaming agreement developing automatic calibration specifically for collimated flight simulator displays — addressing the unique challenges of mirror-based systems with variable mirror distortion correction, multi-eye-point support, and sub-pixel blend registration, demonstrated live at WATS 2022.
Scalable Display Technologies and Q4 Services have announced a teaming agreement to deliver automatic calibration for collimated flight simulator displays — one of the most technically demanding display configurations in professional simulation.
Q4 Services is an independent manufacturer and provider of visual display systems for the global flight simulation and training industry. The company supports all major OEM platforms for both military and commercial markets, and its DirectVue Direct Projection Dome is a continuous, spherical rigid display providing a high-quality, immersive training environment for the aviation industry.
A collimated display is not a conventional flat or curved screen. In a collimated system, the viewer looks at a volumetric mirror reflecting a projected image from a screen positioned above or below the viewer. The effect creates the perception of an image at optical infinity — critical for flight simulation, where the pilot's eyes must converge naturally on distant virtual objects rather than a nearby screen surface.
This architecture presents unique challenges for any automatic calibration system. Traditional camera-based warp and blend systems assume a direct line of sight between camera and screen. In a collimated system, the camera must capture imagery as it appears after reflection through the mirror — and that mirror introduces variable distortions that change with position, curvature, and material (stretched mylar behaves differently from glass). Additionally, collimated systems must serve multiple eye-points simultaneously rather than a single viewpoint.
"Traditional mirror-based collimated displays present several challenges for an automated alignment system," explained Scalable. "This can be exacerbated when the collimating mirror is stretched mylar instead of glass. Collimated displays present a unique set of challenges for calibration, which requires a tailored solution."
To address these challenges, Scalable developed core algorithmic improvements specifically for collimated screen types — working directly with Q4 Services to validate the solution against real-world simulator hardware.
The resulting capability accounts for variable mirror distortion and supports multiple eye-points simultaneously. The interface provides simplified controls for chin windows and other integrated control displays common in aviation simulators. Using fixed-mounted cameras, the system maintains calibration accuracy at the highest threshold continuously — without requiring frequent manual intervention.
Scalable's patented algorithms deliver sub-pixel blend registration and sub-degree geometric uniformity on collimated systems — specifications that matter directly for flight simulation fidelity, where geometric errors translate into incorrect spatial perception for pilots in training.
Q4 Services has implemented Scalable's auto-calibration technology across their collimated visual displays, including the DirectVue Direct Projection Dome, to simplify setup and reduce ongoing maintenance costs.
The teaming agreement was announced alongside a live demonstration at the World Aviation and Training Summit (WATS) 2022, held May 3–5 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. Attendees could experience a live calibration of Scalable's technology on Q4 Services' DirectVue and a collimated mirror system at Q4 Services' global headquarters in Orlando.
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