Oakland, California-based technology company Digital Element, with the help of NewTek and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the auspices of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Cities Initiative, has been working to open up "Closed Cities" in Russia. These cities do not appear on maps and up to now have been strictly military R&D and production sites. Digital Element trainers and engineers have helped form new Russian software development teams in Snezhinsk and other closed cities to help the towns integrate into the Western market. Digital Element has created teams that specialize in creating 3D art tools. Moreover, they have familiarized the Russian engineers with the latest technology and trends in the Western software market, including NewTek's LightWave 3D and Digital Element's 3D art tool, WorldBuilder. "This chance to work with Digital Elements and NewTek has been an excellent opportunity for everyone involved. It provides an excellent team to work with Digital Elements and NewTek and an opportunity for these Russian scientists to switch from weapons research to commercial work," said Dr. William Dunlop, head of the nonproliferation programs at LLNL. Brad Peebler, NewTek's executive vice president of 3D graphics, said, "We are honored that LightWave 3D is being used in retraining these nuclear scientists. By helping Digital Element to use LightWave 3D through our educational division, we are privileged enough to be the 3D animation software used in this program. We plan to continue to work closely with Digital Element to ensure an even more seamless workflow between our two applications, and hope to continue assisting with the retraining project for a long time to come." Don McClure, CEO of Digital Element, said, "There are very few real opportunities to change the world and this is one of them. It's a rare opportunity to bring a new, peaceful industry to a part of the world where the only technical profession was weaponry design. We're proud to be the solution."
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
