Engineering & Computer Simulations was chosen as one of Orlando Business Journal's 2022 Fire Awards honorees, who were featured in OBJ's April 29-May 5, 2022, weekly print edition.
The Orlando-based company integrates training with advanced technologies to deliver innovative training solutions for government and industry clients that enhance workforce performance.
Here's more from Engineering & Computer Simulations CEO Waymon Armstrong:
Describe your company in three sentences or less: Engineering & Computer Simulations is an award-winning, integrated global training and technology solutions company, with operations in Huntsville, Alabama, and San Antonio, Texas. The firm’s current technology focus is to bring the very latest technologies to the forefront and essentially change, update, and perfect training, education, and simulation through research, development, and integration.
What was your company’s biggest accomplishment of 2021? The design and development of our Burn Care Escharotomy VR Haptics Trainer, a haptics-based virtual reality training system to support combat medicine within the U.S. Army’s Synthetic Training Environment. The use of haptics technology integrates the sense of touch, allowing individuals in training or virtual scenarios to interact and feel the patients, tools, and equipment and to experience real-time feedback. This technology brings a higher element of realism to training.
How did you get it done? Our team designed and developed this project, Advanced Haptics Development to Support Medical Simulated Training Environments, as part of a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research project for the Defense Health Agency. ECS has partnered with a leading provider of realistic haptic gloves and integrated this haptic glove system into the VR-based training scenario for escharotomy. Upon completing the development, ECS successfully conducted a usability study at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville to capture feedback on the technology and training approach based on a prototype training scenario and for future research and development.
How does your company stay innovative and on the cutting-edge? ECS is dedicated to accelerating learning for the military and private sector by integrating emerging technologies while enhancing workforce performance and retention, and by reducing costs. We continuously leverage our simulation training system architecture and content to advance innovation through ongoing research.
What strategies have you implemented to recruit and/or retain talent in a competitive labor market? We embrace the "ECS Family" culture and are committed to listening and taking care of our team. We are dedicated to the people we serve and are proud that the majority of our team members are veterans. In addition, we offer excellent company benefits including flexible schedules, tuition assistance, wellness reimbursement, 401(k) plan with match, generous PTO and time for community service.
What is the biggest challenge facing your industry? Dealing with government budget cuts that cause contracts to diminish or end. We try to view these events as opportunities and to grow niche markets, look for new technologies, and to develop strategic partnerships to promote our products and services.
What is your company’s top goal for 2022? We are focusing on blending research, development and integration to bring the very latest technologies to market to essentially change, update and enhance training, education and simulation for multiple sectors, including government/military, health care, education and more. Our goal is to enhance retention and quality of training for all learners.
In the past year, what progress have you seen in the growth of Central Florida’s entrepreneurial and tech ecosystems? New technology and entrepreneurial firms have joined our community, and key government leaders have offered opportunities to collaborate to get our products and services in front of the right buying organizations. In the modeling, simulation and training industry, we see more and more opportunities for current and new companies to participate in the ecosystem.
What is the local technology and innovation sector’s biggest obstacle to more growth? In order to continue to grow as a tech hub, we hope that Central Florida will attract more entrepreneurs and tech firms to create more high-wage jobs that will stimulate Central Florida’s economy and strengthen our growing simulation corridor. One of the critical obstacles for industry growth at the current time is recruiting the talent to fill those high-wage jobs that are being created.
Are you hiring now? Currently, we have an immediate need for four positions, including a medical simulation operator, JCATS operator controller, 3-D graphic artist and an instructor pilot.
Engineering & Computer Simulations
- Top executive’s name and title: Waymon Armstrong, CEO
- Year founded:1997
- 2021 revenue: $13.48 million
- 2021 YOY revenue growth: $(653,312.49)
- Capital raised since founding: $250,000
- No. of employees in Central Florida: 36
- No. of employees companywide (if different): 85 + 5 contractors in Pennsylvania
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