Networked virtual environments

Communications and Networking in Education, 2000

The field of Virtual Environments (VEs) is rapidly evolving into a new means of communication and accessing information, likely to overcome many existent technologies. However, being a new field makes the design and implementation of educational VEs an important aspect for scientific research in their educational potentials and the exploitation of existent technologies. New technologies in the field of VEs have appeared the establishment and combination of which, is yet to be investigated. This paper makes an effort to approach the issue of developing educational VEs introducing new aspects in the issues of interface, interaction with the user and functionality.

Presence: Teleoperators & Virtual Environments, 1994

This paper explores the issues involved in designing and developing network software architectures for large-scale virtual environments. We present our ideas in the context of NPSNET-IV, the first 3-D virtual environment that incorporates both the IEEE 1278 distributed interactive simulation (DIS) application protocol and the IP multicast network protocol for multi player simulation over the Internet.

Proceedings of IEEE Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium, 1993

This paper describes a research testbed developed to investigate the use of virtual environment (VE) technology for Army training. The objectives of the testbed and the first experiments conducted using the testbed are described, in which performance data was collected as participants completed a variety of basic tasks: vision (acuity, color vision, distance estimation, and search); locomotion (walking and flying through structures); tracking and object manipulation (placing and keeping a cursor on an object, and using it to move objects); and reaction time.

Information & Security: An International Journal, 1999

We present an approach to the next generation televirtual TVR environments that integrate collaboration with distributed c omputing and modern modeling and simulation technologies. We follow the 3-tier architecture with the Web Object Java CORBA based middleware, VRML Java3D DirectX based f r ont-ends and JDBC PSS OLEDB based b ack-ends and we are testing our design and the integration concepts by prototyping a multiuser authoring and runtime environment to support WebHLA based distributed military simulations. We present rst our taxonomy of collaboratory frameworks and our integration paradigm, based on the WebFlow system at NPAC. We then list the critical enabling technologies that are b eing integrated and nally we summarize the current status of our prototyping experiments.

2002

One of the ultimate goals of SNHC is to provide a framework supporting the Networked Collaborative Virtual Environments (NCVE) for a wide range of applications. We briefly present an existing NCVE system called Virtual Life Network (VLNET). VLNET is a NCVE system incorporating realistic representation and animation of virtual humans for higher realism of simulation and more natural interaction with users of the system, as well as with autonomous agents. Based on our experience in VLNET we analyze the requirements of NCVE systems that should be considered by SNHC. In particular, we examine in detail various types of data traveling through the network in this type of application, and requirements for each type.

Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 2001

Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) are a promising technology enabling remote participants to share a common place through three-dimensional graphical scenes. Within the COVEN project (Normand, 1999), we have run prolonged series of Internet trials that have allowed us to gather valuable data to formulate usability guidelines and networking requirements. However, running such trials in a real setting and making sure that the application and networking infrastructures will be stable enough is still a challenge. In this paper, we describe some of our experiences, together with the technical choices that have permitted many hours of successful Internet trials. We also make a thorough analysis of different correlated logging data. This analysis allows us to propose and con rm a model of a CVE application's network behavior, together with a number of interesting results that disprove some common assumptions. Furthermore, we use the model and the logging data to highlight the bene ts of IP multicasting and for predicting traf c behaviors and bandwidth use on top of different logical network topologies.

1998

2003

IEEE Software, 1997

distributed virtual environment, or DVE, is a largescale, networked, computer-based, virtual world wherein several thousand human-and computer-controlled entities can interact. Entities move within the virtual environment using aerodynamics, celestial mechanics, vehicle dynamics, or soil mechanics models as required to compute their motion. The environment requires 3D graphical models of the terrain and other features such as roads, forests, rivers, bridges, and buildings. The technologies supporting distributed virtual environments are continuously challenged by requirements for increasing complexity in both the numbers and types of entities, for increased fidelity, for improved situational assessment and user interaction, and for adaptability to new computer platforms.

Computer Applications in Production and Engineering, 1997

Networked Collaborative Virtual Environments (NCVE) are systems that allow several geographically distant users to collaborate within the common 3D virtual environment The users become part of the environment represented by graphical embodiments and they can interact with the environment and with each other. We analyze the importance of good graphical representation of each user for communication and collaboration. The Virtual Life Network (VLNET) system is an NCVE using sophisticated Virtual Humans as user embodiments to improve collaboration. We describe the system and some experimental applications.