One significant challenge in developing an effective simulation
is being able to predict the behavior of the objects being duplicated.
Animated objects are particularly difficult because their behavior
is unpredictable. However, the behavior of inanimate objects or
machines can be determined through a series of mathematical equations.
A case in point is the simulation used to train military pilots.
There is a push from the Defense Department to make all helicopter
cockpits standard, said Don Johnson, vice president of marketing
for Global Majic Software, manufacturer of 3DLinx, a simulation
software product.
“3DLinx takes advantage of [established industry standards]
to bring [simulated] models [such as helicopter cockpits] to life
by making them independent objects that have unique behaviors and
characteristics,” according to company literature. These industry
standards are Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM) architecture
and ActiveX technology. This means programmers do not need to know
how to do 3D programming to work with 3DLinx.
COM is the basic architecture of the simulation, and ActiveX is
the defined object model built on top of that architecture, said
Johnson.
Global Majic Software, based in Huntsville, Ala., builds 3D simulations,
visualizations and training environments for government agencies.
Global Majic Technical Services (GMTS), a sister company, was part
of a contract team, hired by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile
Command (AMCOM) Deputy Commander for Systems Acquisition (DSA) Utility
Helicopters Program Office to demonstrate the potential of COM and
distributed component object model (DCOM) technology as a simulation
based acquisition strategy. The COM/DCOM demonstration was integrated
in AMCOM Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering
Center’s Advanced Prototyping, Engineering, and eXperimentation
(APEX) Laboratory.
The prime contractor was Camber Corporation, also of Huntsville,
but much of the technical expertise was provided by GMTS, said Steve
Donley, GMTS president and chief executive officer, in an interview.
Donley said that AMCOM has not endorsed 3DLinx or Global Majic
Software’s other commercial tools, but that the COM/DCOM technology
demonstration was highly successful. “COM/DCOM were shown
to be possible solutions for Simulation for Modeling, Acquisition,
Requirements, and Training (SMART) compliant environments,”
said Donley.
Global Majic Software, which was founded in 1994, does not actually
build simulation models, said Johnson. However, it provides “object-oriented”
software that allows users to move models around. An example would
be if the Army were to use 3DLinx to design helicopter cockpits.
“Object-oriented” means that each instrument in the
cockpit would be considered a separate entity. This lets designers
insert, remove and move around instruments at will. In fact, the
company has trademarked what it refers to as “living models.”
Johnson said the program allows users to move things around. It
allows them to “change things around to see what is the best
[layout for a cockpit].”
“We don’t create the models,” said Johnson in
an interview. “Once the model is created, we [add an] attachment.
We supply the mathematics.”
What Global Majic engineers decipher are the mathematical equations
that will determine a simulated object’s behavior. They can
determine the effects wind and pressure changes would have on an
aircraft. They can ascertain how a aircraft would fly if it were
carrying missiles, how it would fly once the missiles are detached
and how the missiles, as independent objects, would travel under
severe weather conditions, such as high wind.
Johnson said there are 80 properties that can be trained in aircraft
mathematics.
“You can make an F-18 fly like a real F-18,” he said.
“Missiles are independent objects that can be shot off.”
Each “independent object” is given a unique code, said
Johnson. When a user purchases 3DLinx, he or she can change the
properties, such as wind and velocity, but cannot change the code.
One example is a bowling pin or bowling ball. The developer can
determine how the ball would roll or how the pins would interact
under certain properties-weight, velocity, curve and point of impact.
Another developer can replicate the ball or pin and change the properties
without changing the code.
“If it can be mathematically described,” said Johnson,
“it will run like the real thing in our simulations.”
Living objects, as opposed to “living models,” are
much more difficult to simulate. To determine human movements or
actions, sensors are usually attached to the person being simulated.
This can be seen in commercials for 989 Sports’ Sony Playstation’s
NFL Gameday football video game television commercials. In its latest
installment, St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk can be seen
hooked to these sensors. Although the commercial takes a humorous
approach to simulating realistic movements of athletes, Johnson
claims this currently is the most popular way to determine human
action.
“Mathematically describing how people move is very hard,”
said Johnson. “Things like airplanes, missiles and bowling
balls are much, much easier.”
The program also can be used for terrain and radar simulation.
This allows users to view terrain in 3D and make sure that there
is overlapping radar coverage. This means that 100 percent of the
area is under radar. Overlapping means that if one radar battery
is out, an overlapping radar is providing coverage for that designated
area.
3DLinx is a Windows-based software product that runs on a Pentium-class
processor. The Standard Edition retails for $895. The program also
is being used in the video game industry. However, Johnson said
he is unaware as to how the product is being used in that fashion.
“The gaming companies are even more secretive than the defense
stuff,” he said. This is because the companies do not want
competitors to get the jump on a game that is under development.
“A typical, good quality game takes 40 people and two years
[to create],” said Johnson. “A good year [of that] is
development time.” Johnson believes that 3DLinx can cut that
time in half.
But when it comes to defense, said Johnson, “we’re
opening up a whole new market.”