NEi Software took its first step towards embracing cloud technology with the announcement this week of a new mobile FEA application that displays results on the iPhone or iPad.

NEi Stratus, to be released in the beginning of the second fiscal quarter and initially offered at no charge, is displaying the software to showcase new, innovative methods for delivering FEA solutions. Company officials explained the new venture as an opportunity to combine cloud technology with the power of NEi Nastran solvers, providing engineers with the ability to perform basic FEA analysis and review the results on their mobile devices any where and at any time. The iPhone and iPad applications are just the initial exploration of what a mobile platform and cloud technology can deliver, NEi Software officials say, adding that the combination will allow for more complex analysis as the technology matures.

"As innovators in CAE, NEi Software recognized two rapidly advancing technologies that have great potential within the CAE industry--mobile applications and cloud computing," said Mitch Muncy, manager of presales and technical support for NEi Software, in a prepared release. "NEi Stratus leverages these technologies to give engineers on-demand Nastran-based analysis."