Rave Computer is making a push into local education with the establishment of the Center for Automated Virtual Environments, commonly known as RAVE CAVE.
Rave Computer, the anchor tenant of the
Macomb-OU INCubator, works in modeling, simulation and visualization software. The 26-year-old firm has made three replacement hires over the last year and is looking to add another three people to its staff of 35 employees. It launched RAVE CAVE last year, taking a 3-D immersion cave out of storage at
TARDEC and repurposing it as an educational tool to get more local students interested in science, technology, engineering and math.
"I really enjoy STEM and being involved in the community," says Rick Darter, founder & CEO of
Rave Computer. "I thought this is a great way to give back."
RAVE CAVE is a Reconfigurable, Automated, Virtual Environment, powered by a five-system cluster that was configured, built and installed by Rave Computer engineers. The system enables the users to experience visualization software and how it is used in the creation and design of new products.
"There are a lot of teaching tools that you can use to demonstrate why math is important. Why (information technology) is important," says Art Adlam, president of RAVE CAVE.
RAVE CAVE has hosted close to 500 local students, ranging from grade school to college students, with the bulk of the number coming from local high schools. The non-profit gives tours of the technology and also hosts workshops. It hopes to ramp up its usage over the next year, adding things like college courses and summer camps.
"We'd like to (host) as many (students) as possible," Adlam says.
Source: Rick Darter, founder & CEO of Rave Computer, and Art Adlam, president of RAVE CAVE
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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