2026 World Trip (Part 1): Correlated Solutions Goes Down Under
Our team recently wrapped up a whirlwind, high-impact trip across Australia, strengthening our partnerships and supporting some of the most prestigious research institutions in the Southern Hemisphere. Sales and Marketing Director Alistair Tofts and Senior Engineer Micah Simonsen joined forces with Liam Aggett from Blink Technology—our dedicated technical representatives in Australia—to provide hands-on expertise, system upgrades, and a glimpse at some new software and hardware options across several major facilities.
Stop 1: Advanced Training at the Defence Science & Technology Group in Melbourne
The journey kicked off in Melbourne at the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). Our team conducted an intensive VIC-3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) workshop. Given the critical nature of the work performed at DSTG, ensuring their team is proficient in the latest DIC techniques is vital for high-accuracy structural testing and materials research.
Stop 2: University of Tasmania & The Australian Maritime College
Next, we headed south to the University of Tasmania’s Australian Maritime College (AMC) for meetings and a technical consultation with PIs Roberto Ojeda Rabanal and Tom Mitchell Ferguson at the Underwater Collision Research Facility. The AMC team was particularly interested in comparing data obtained from the VIC-3D high-speed system with their Finite Element predictions. The team was pleased to learn how the new Python extension features in VIC-3D 11.2 will allow them to perform much of this data comparison directly within VIC-3D’s iris workspace. Furthermore, the team was excited to see how the all-new Blue Hawk system will streamline data capture for their quasi-static applications. All of this quantitative strain measurement data is crucial to their research, which will aid in mitigating damage to submersibles caused by underwater collisions.
Stop 3: University of Adelaide
In Adelaide, the star was the VIC Gimbal and the new features in VIC-3D 11.2. After upgrading all the software to ensure the School of Civil Engineering and Construction lab is running at peak performance, Alistair gave a DIC theory presentation and helped Liam provide the full VIC-3D 11.2 training (including a side course on how to use VIC-Gauge 3D) to a dozen eager students and faculty.
This trip wasn't just about software updates and stereo angles; it was about the people. As a specialized company, we take pride in the fact that the DIC systems developed in our South Carolina office are the same ones powering cutting-edge maritime research in Tasmania and defense innovation in Melbourne. Connecting in person with our partners and customers provides important insight into their research and how best to provide the next generation of measurement technologies. Reflecting on the trip, Alistair commented,
"Our size is our strength. It allows us to remain agile and deeply connected to our users, whether they are across the street or across the Pacific. Providing the world’s most accurate non-contacting optical measurement solutions requires a global perspective, and this Australian tour was a testament to that commitment."
We’d like to extend a huge thanks to Liam and the team at Blink Technology for their partnership, and to the Australian research community for welcoming us into their labs.
Cheers—we’ll see you again soon!