27 Aug 2026

BMT DISC: transforming maritime simulation through immersive AV

Creating a multi-purpose digital innovation hub for simulation, collaboration and autonomous systems development.

When BMT set out to create its new Digital Innovation & Simulation Centre (DISC), the ambition was greater than replacing an ageing bridge simulator. The organisation wanted a future-ready environment where training, digital engineering, autonomous systems assurance and customer collaboration could come together in one flexible space.

Working in partnership with BMT, Dataflow AV designed and delivered an immersive LED simulation environment. Supported by PSCo and specialist technology partners including Absen, the project is transforming how maritime professionals train, collaborate and make critical decisions.

The Challenge

BMT's previous simulator relied on multiple displays to recreate the outside view from a ship's bridge. While functional, visible screen bezels interrupted the horizon, reducing immersion and constantly reminding trainees they were looking at a collection of screens rather than standing on the bridge of a vessel. For simulation to be truly effective, crews needed to suspend disbelief and react naturally to the environment around them.

The room also served only one purpose.

The brief quickly evolved from replacing a simulator to creating a flexible environment capable of supporting bridge simulation, digital design reviews, customer demonstrations and executive collaboration.

Rethinking the solution

Projection was the original concept, but practical challenges – including ceiling height, heat, maintenance and the proposed bridge window structure – made it the wrong solution.

Instead, Dataflow AV proposed LED.

To help validate the technology, Dataflow AV partnered with PSCo, inviting BMT to Innovation House – PSCo's dedicated LED demonstration and R&D facility. Rather than relying on specification sheets alone, the team experienced fine-pitch LED first-hand, explored different pixel pitches and validated how BMT's REMBRANDT simulation platform would perform on a seamless digital canvas.

The visit proved to be a turning point. Experiencing the technology first-hand gave BMT the confidence to move away from projection and commit to LED as the foundation of the new simulator.

As the design evolved, PSCo's Pixel IQ LED configurator became a valuable design tool. More than 25 design iterations were produced, allowing the project team to evaluate cabinet layouts, infrastructure requirements, power calculations, ventilation, content mapping and installation tolerances quickly, helping the project move forward with confidence despite a demanding programme.

Before installation, Dataflow AV and PSCo recreated key elements of the simulator at Innovation House, using live REMBRANDT render nodes, NovaStar H-Series processing and the proposed LED solution. This allowed BMT to validate colour performance, viewing angles and the synchronisation of multiple REMBRANDT render nodes across the full 20,640 × 1,620-pixel canvas before a single LED cabinet was installed.

By proving the concept before installation, the team removed one of the project's biggest technical risks.

Even more significantly, the physical bridge windows became digital. Rather than occupying valuable floor space, they were rendered directly into the simulation, allowing layouts to change depending on the vessel being modelled while creating a more immersive experience.

Throughout the design process, detailed 3D models enabled BMT to explore the space before construction, ensuring compliance with DNV simulator standards while refining every viewing angle.

Building a seamless maritime horizon

At the centre of DISC sits a 25-metre-wide Absen KLCOB 1.2mm LED canvas delivering more than 33 million pixels across one continuous display.

Working closely with Dataflow AV, PSCo recommended Absen's KLCOB 1.2mm Chip-on-Board LED technology, selected for its durability, close-viewing performance and seamless image quality in a mission-critical simulation environment.

Powered by NovaStar H-Series processing and integrated directly with BMT's REMBRANDT navigation simulator, the system creates a seamless 270-degree field of view with no visible joins or interruptions.

The result is a bridge environment that feels remarkably true to life. Whether navigating busy ports, conducting ship-to-ship transfers or operating in challenging weather conditions, crews experience a continuous panoramic view that closely replicates being at sea. Without visible bezels or projection shadows to break the illusion, users quickly become immersed in the simulation, allowing them to focus entirely on decision-making, teamwork and vessel handling.

Following months of design development and validation, PSCo worked alongside Dataflow AV during installation and commissioning, supporting the build of the 25-metre LED canvas and ensuring the system performed exactly as it had during testing at Innovation House.

Beyond the primary LED canvas, two 86-inch iiyama interactive displays positioned behind the bridge provide aft-facing simulation views while doubling as collaboration tools for workshops and briefings. Additional 32-inch and 24-inch iiyama professional displays support instructors, operators and scenario controllers, creating a connected environment that extends well beyond the bridge itself.

More than a simulator

DISC is far more than a bridge simulator.

Designed as a flexible, multi-purpose environment, the space can transition seamlessly between simulation, collaboration and presentation, maximising the return on investment for BMT.

The facility is used for:

Bridge and pilot training
Accident investigation
Ship design reviews
Digital twin visualisation
Autonomous vessel assurance
Customer demonstrations
Executive workshops
Collaborative design sessions

When simulation ends, the bridge controls move aside and the room becomes what BMT describes as its "boardroom of the future" – a flexible space where engineering, innovation and collaboration meet.

Technology that disappears

Despite the complexity behind the scenes, the experience for users is remarkably simple.

Custom middleware developed by Dataflow AV allows operators to transform the room between simulation, presentation and collaboration modes in just a few button presses using an Elgato Stream Deck interface.

Behind the scenes, the middleware automates multiple system commands, routing sources, recalling layouts and reconfiguring the display without requiring specialist AV knowledge.

The technology stays hidden, allowing users to focus entirely on the experience.

BMT DISC: transforming maritime simulation through immersive AV

The result

DISC has transformed an ageing bridge simulator into a strategic business asset that supports innovation across BMT's entire organisation.

The facility now supports training, digital engineering, customer engagement and innovation across BMT's defence, commercial maritime and environmental programmes, while reducing the need for travel and real-world operational testing.

More importantly, it has changed the way BMT thinks about the role of technology.

The most telling measure of success is the reaction of those who use it. Experienced mariners instinctively engage with the environment, responding to scenarios as though they were at sea rather than inside a simulator.

What began as a request for a new simulator has become a digital innovation hub where complex maritime challenges can be explored, tested and solved with confidence.

Technical solution:

The solution combines industry-leading LED display technology, high-performance processing and intuitive control to create a seamless, mission-critical environment for simulation, collaboration and visualisation.

LED Display

258 x Absen KLCOB V2 1.2mm LED cabinets

LED Processing

1 x NovaStar H15 Videowall Splicer

8 x H-Series RJ45 sending cards

9 x NovaStar H1X21DP14 H-Series Plug-in Input Card (DisplayPort 1.4)

1 x Novastar H-Series 2xAudio input+2xAudio output card

3 x Novastar H-Series 4 port HDMI input cards 1080p

Mounting

1 x Peerless-AV SEAMLESS Connect structure

Display Technology

2 x iiyama TE8613A-B1AG 86" 4K-UHD Interactive display with 800x600 wall mount