CoSTAR Realtime Lab

COSTAR is the UK R&D network for creative technology. The CoSTAR Network was created to support the UK creative and technology sector to remain at the leading edge of advanced media production by engaging companies in R&D-led innovation and to help grow the UK creative and technology ecosystems and economies.

Realtime and virtual graphical environments have been evolving with increasing speed over the last decade. As consumers we are becoming increasingly familiar with high fidelity virtualisation in film/TV and animation, video games and virtual reality. We have seen these techniques and technologies migrate from highly specialised and experimental uses to mainstream adoption and application. The use of these techniques in mainstream film and high-end theatre production has accelerated technological innovation and application across a broad range of motion and performance capture, real-time graphics processing, network and telecoms, edge computing in content and experience creation for entertainment media and live events. At the heart of these innovation is the development of real-time integration technologies primarily used for the creation of video games. Game engine technologies such as Unreal Engine and Unity are designed to integrate dynamic graphical environments with events and environmental effects in real time.

CoSTAR Realtime Lab works with creative and technology companies across film, television and animation production and games, interactive and immersive media development to innovate new products, services and markets that will lead to improved company sustainability and economic impact.

The creation of technologies that improve efficiencies and productivity for companies will support the growth of local and national industries and ecosystems of creativity, skills and expertise. CoSTAR is committed to developing open, inclusive and environmentally friendly solutions for the sector.

New Technologies
Innovative use of existing technologies
Novel systems & processes
New service models
New markets & audiences
Accessible & Sustainable technologies

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
AH/Y00115X/1
£5,435,153