RT Software releases latest version of Swift Studio for augmented reality and virtual studios

RT Software has released the latest version of Swift Studio, its virtual studio and augmented reality (AR) graphics system.

It was recently used to great effect in the South African general election with national broadcaster SABC, where the system powered AR graphics that kept the audience hooked through election night.

Swift Studio can also be used for full virtual studio sets, where a green screen background is removed using a keyer. Until now, many broadcasters would opt for a separate hardware keyer to ensure the best-quality keying result. This release now includes RT Software’s latest software keyer, which offers performance that matches a separate hardware keyer.

Steve Hart, development director at RT Software, explained: “Our software has to work in real time and allow operators to adjust keying controls as the lighting conditions change from moment to moment during live events. Our software application achieves this through use of the Nvidia RTX A5000 GPU, which empowers our users to achieve high-quality results when keying virtual graphics during live broadcasts.

“This is all about bringing our customers cost-effective solutions that do not compromise on broadcast quality. We understand the demands of broadcast and that there are no second chances during live events, which is why we’ve developed this cost-saving approach that avoids the need to purchase a separate hardware device.”

Swift Studio can be integrated with a wide range of camera-tracking technologies and control protocols, giving flexibility to broadcasters wishing to extend their graphics into virtual studios or AR. RT Software is available to advise on the best approach for these types of solutions – alternatively, a complete turnkey solution can be provided if requested.

Finally, Swift Studio can incorporate Unreal Engine graphics and combine them with native Swift graphics. This lets broadcasters retain a consistent user experience across their facility and helps ensure they can provide best-of-breed solutions without needing to retrain operators on different user interfaces and workflows.