Red Iron Labs
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2016
- Employees
- 1-10
- Offices
- 1
About Red Iron Labs
Red Iron Labs is an independent immersive technology and video game development studio based in Calgary, Alberta. Founded in 2016, the company develops virtual reality, augmented reality and extended reality experiences for entertainment, healthcare, education and workforce training. Its work combines game design, interactive storytelling and simulation to help people explore environments, practise procedures and engage with complex subjects.
The studio began in consumer gaming before expanding into serious games and enterprise applications. Its commercial releases include the science-fiction horror experience Abduction Prologue: The Story Of Jonathan Blake, arcade space shooter VectorWars VR and multiplayer party game Muffin Fight. It also collaborated with Raconteur Games on You Can Pet The Dog VR. Its developing title MRDRBRS, also known as Murder Bears, incorporates audience participation and community streaming interaction.
Applied immersive experiences
In industrial training, Red Iron Labs creates simulations for hazardous chemical handling, machinery maintenance, commercial vehicle securement and fire safety. These projects translate workplace procedures into interactive environments where learners can rehearse tasks and receive feedback. Its public education work includes home fire safety experiences for the Calgary Fire Department and cyber-safety education for YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre.
Healthcare projects encompass dementia caregiver training and neurological rehabilitation. The studio's work with clinical and academic collaborators includes virtual experiences addressing post-stroke motor skills, vision and cognitive recovery, with applications for both clinical settings and rehabilitation at home. Its broader educational portfolio includes virtual laboratory training, language preservation and augmented reality exhibits.
Development capabilities
Red Iron Labs supports projects from rapid prototyping through application development and delivery. Its production capabilities include 3D modeling, texturing, animation, motion capture, voice recording, sound design, volumetric studio services and digital twin reconstruction. It also develops multi-user virtual environments and training applications with learning management system integration.
Across these activities, the studio applies the engagement techniques of games to practical learning and communication challenges while continuing to develop original entertainment experiences.
More about Red Iron Labs
Leadership and origins
- Co-founder Rosalinda Hernandez serves as Chief Executive Officer; co-founder Lloyd Summers serves as Chief Technology Officer.
- The studio's origins trace to late 2015, when Summers acquired an early open-source virtual reality headset. The founders subsequently shaped their approach around the phrase “courage over confidence.”
Platforms and collaboration
- PlatformXR provides infrastructure for the studio's immersive applications and powers Cultivate's multi-user creative and communication environment.
- The two-year STRIVE rehabilitation initiative involves Alberta Innovates and the Glenrose Hospital Foundation, alongside clinical and academic collaborators.
- Collaboration with independent partner 3D Media supports delivery of industrial simulation projects. The jointly developed TEAL chemical-safety simulator models a 70-step procedure.
Community and learning
- The company describes its approach as incorporating intercultural perspectives and economic reconciliation, referencing Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #92 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Its IndigeSTEAM work in 2021–2022 supported Indigenous youth learning 3D modeling and Unity development.
- The team also publishes family educational frameworks exploring social-emotional learning through gamified play.
Notable credits
25 creditsOffices
Where Red Iron Labs is based
- Suite 400, 119 14th Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6, CanadaCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary office
HeadquartersAbout this office
Overall company headquarters and primary studio, housing development, executive management, culture/design direction, motion capture and production operations.
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