HIGH LEVEL ARCHITECTURE PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK

Dr. Judith S. Dahmann, Defense Modeling and Simulation Office;

Dr. Richard M. Weatherly, MITRE Corporation;

 

Dr. Russell D. Richardson, Science Applications International Corporation;

Richard A. Briggs, Virtual Technology Corporation

 

The US Department of Defense through the Defense Modeling Simulation Office (DMSO) has developed the High Level Architecture (HLA) to support the reuse and interoperability of simulations. In HLA applications, “federations” of simulations are formed by bringing together simulations and support tools which as a group meet the needs of the users. The running federation operates as a single, distributed system so each component of the federation execution (the federates, the run-time infrastructure (RTI), and the networking/host hardware) levy performance requirements on the other components. This paper discusses efforts underway by DMSO to develop an HLA performance framework to aid users in configuring federations with components which have the capacity and performance to meet the needs of their HLA applications. The framework will be discussed, including the Federation Execution (Fedex) Planners Workbook and a set of benchmark programs. The Fedex Planners workbook is comprised of a series of tables which call for information about a federation execution . The table format and content was developed in concert with the architecture management group (AMG) and was deemed relevant by HLA users, and RTI developers and testers. Entries in the tables include information about federate capabilities, RTI services, federation interactions, hardware being used, and network configurations. The benchmark programs are a set of standard tests implemented as simple federates that quantify the primary axes of performance of the RTI given a specific hardware and network environment. This paper will provide examples of the use of the Fedex planners workbook in developing a federation comprised of the benchmark programs.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

 

THE HLA OBJECT MODEL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Robert Lutz

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

 

Roy Scrudder

Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin

 

The United States Department of Defense (US DoD) Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Master Plan, formally adopted in October 1995, established the need for a Common Technical Framework to facilitate efficient and effective use of models and simulations across US DoD agencies. The US DoD High Level Architecture (HLA) is a critical component of the Common Technical Framework, and currently represents the highest priority within the US DoD M&S community. The purpose of the HLA is to facilitate interoperability between simulation systems and reuse of simulation components. Key to achieving these objectives is the concept of the object model. HLA Federation Object Models (FOMs) are used to define the exchange of public data among participants in an HLA federation. HLA Simulation Object Models (SOMs) are used to describe the intrinsic capabilities that individual simulation systems can offer to HLA federations. The HLA Object Model Template (OMT) defines a common structure for describing the content and format of an HLA object model. The primary purpose of this paper is to describe a systematic approach to the development of HLA object models. Since the specific activities necessary to construct FOMs and SOMs are inherently different, each will be described according to a separate process model. Each process model has been built upon the experiences of the HLA prototype federations (protofederations), and represents a consensus among several development communities regarding "best practices." Each process description is intended as a generic guide to HLA object model development, readily tailorable to specific applications. In addition, this paper will describe current efforts by the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) to facilitate the HLA Object Model Development Process through development of supporting software tools. The current HLA Object Model Tool Suite consists of three types of components; Object Model Development Tools (OMDT) to support the creation and editing of FOMs and SOMs, the Object Model Library (OML) to provide a centralized electronic repository of HLA object models, and the Object Model Data Dictionary System (OMDDS) to establish and provide access to common semantics and syntax for components of HLA object models. The use of these tools in the HLA Object Model Development Process will be highlighted in the tool descriptions.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

 

A STATE TRANSITION VIEW OF UPDATES AND INTERACTIONS

Richard M. Weatherly, Ph.D

Susan F. Symington

The MITRE Corporation

 

James M. Ivers

Carnegie Mellon University

 

To be an effective standard for the interoperability of DoD simulations, a rigorous model of High Level Architecture (HLA) Run-time Infrastructure (RTI) behavior is required. This paper uses a series of state transition diagrams to formally describe the conditions under which an HLA federate may invoke and receive RTI services related to updating and reflecting attribute values and sending and receiving interactions. The state transition diagrams describe the states of federates, objects, attributes, and interaction classes and the valid RTI service invocation-related transitions that can be made among these states. The on going work presented in this paper is part of the HLA development process underway in the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) and the DoD Architecture Management Group.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

 

 

INDIVIDUAL COMBATANTS IN DISMOUNTED WARRIOR NETWORK

Traci A. Jones

Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM), Orlando, FL

 

Paul T. Barham

Reality by Design, Monterey, CA

 

Brian D. Plamondon

Lockheed Martin Information Systems,Orlando, FL

 

In Spring 1997, STRICOM conducted Dismounted Warrior Network (DWN) engineering experiments and user level exercises to investigate Virtual Individual Combatant Simulation (VICS) technologies. The DWN project supports a Defense Technology Objective (DTO) for Individual Combatant and Small Unit Operations Simulation. During these experiments, four major virtual systems, integrated with Dismounted Infantry Semi-Autonomous Forces (DI SAF), were analyzed for their contributions in support of individual and collective Individual Combatant (IC) simulation tasks. The purpose of this effort was to develop a set of requirements for IC simulation to support the Training, Exercises, and Military Operations (TEMO), Advanced Concepts and Requirements (ACR) and Research, Development and Acquisition (RDA) domains. During the engineering experiments, emphasis was on examining simulation subcomponents and their benefits. User exercises were conducted at the system level to determine issues of interoperability and examination of tactical operations. We will discuss execution of the experiments and resultant lessons learned.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

 

 

BEYOND DATA DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT

Andy Ceranowicz

Advanced Telecommunication, Inc.

 

To support more applications, military simulations must scale up to support both larger scenarios and greater detail. Finding the additional computing power to simultaneously increase size and resolution is a major challenge. Distributing the simulation over multiple processors is one way of getting additional computating resources, but it is limited by the capacity to communicate simulation state between processors. Data Distribution Management (DDM) addresses the efficient distribution of simulation state. It is a part of the United States Department of Defense High Level Architecture's Run Time Infrastructure. Data Distribution Management allows distributed simulations to limit the data that needs to be transmitted between computers. Potentially this technique allows us to create arbitrarily large simulations by adding more computers to the simulation. The DARPA Synthetic Theater of War Demonstration has provided the initial proof of this approach. However, every project has a limit to the number of computers it can buy. To make large scale high resolution simulation practical for general use we need approaches that provide larger scale and more detail without requiring more computing power. This paper introduces an approach called "Lazy Simulation" that extends the publish and subscribe techniques used in DDM to limit what is computed. The technique is called Lazy Simulation because it avoids computations unless they are explicitly requested.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

DIS-HLA GATEWAY LESSONS LEARNED

Daniel J. Paterson

Eric Anschuetz

Naval Air Warfare Center

Training Systems Division, Orlando, FL

 

This paper describes a project to perform the conversion of a DIS legacy system to HLA. This paper captures the insight into our approach to satisfy the ten HLA rules, five for federations and five for federates. This paper captures the lessons learned from the application the HLA Run-Time Infrastructure (RTI) Services, Object Model Development Tools (OMDT) and Real-time Platform Reference Federation Object Model (RPR-FOM) that we investigated in order to prepare to incorporate HLA into a DIS infrastructure.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

MEMS - A MODULAR ELECTRIC MOTION SYSTEM FOR SIMULATOR AND FOR LEISURE APPLICATIONS

Robert Alet

Manager Of Civil And Military Ground Vehicle, Design Office

Thomson Training & Simulation, France

 

The need for a motion system in between high-end six DOF (Degree Of Freedom) motion system and a seat shaker system is explained according to a functional analysis and a design to cost approach. Many international reports show that most of ground vehicles or military aircraft require only 3 DOF motion systems. The performance specifications of the system are given. The technical details on the innovative and original concept are provided. The key features of the system are: - an original three DOF kinematics which simplifies the mechanical interfaces, suppressing the unuseful DOF, so that the cost represents mainly the needed functions, - the kinematics based on the use of industrial two orthogonal axis gearboxes of which performances can be chosen according to final application: for leisure industry at a low cost, up to high fidelity simulator application. The MEMS takes advantage from GAAEL (ref. [1]), French acronym for Electric Attitudes and Accelerations Generator patented in 1988, of which over twenty-five units are used by four different armies (tank, truck and aircraft simulators). The kinematics of the MEMS was patented in early 1997. The MEMS uses components from GAAEL which has been proving that this new design is more ergonomic, reliable and efficient. It has a lower cost and needs less power than the same application based on a hydraulic system. Performances are superior or equal to sophisticated hydraulic motion systems which are up to now the reference. MEMS is a basis of a wide range of versatile products from which the three DOF version is now working for leisure simulators and will be implemented in tank simulators.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

DETERMINATION AND VALIDATION OF VISUAL CUE REQUIREMENTS USING PILOT VISUAL CUE ANALYSIS

Richard J. Heintzman, Robert P. Bateman

SIMTEC, Incorporated

 

James E. Brown

Training Systems Product Group, United States Air Force

 

Visual simulation requirements for fighter aircraft training simulators are far more demanding than what is required for commercial aircraft or wide-body military aircraft training simulators. The tactical missions are highly complex and include numerous demanding visually oriented tasks. These complex mission tasks place demands on visual system performance including a large viewing field (full-field-of-view), image resolution of the displayed image approaching the limits of the human eye, and complex database detail requirements. Describing visual requirements in purely engineering terms has not been able to deliver a system that meets operation requirements. Conveying the fighter visual out-the-window requirements from the pilot subject matter experts to the acquisition community, development contractor, and finally to the design engineers has proven to be a challenging and almost insurmountable problem. The purpose of this analysis is to define air-to-air and air-to-surface visual flight tasks in operational terms, that an engineer and/or manager can interpret. The visual cue analysis describes each flight task and its visual cues and references together with descriptions of how the visual cues and references are used during the performance of the flight tasks. When completed, this data base will be made available to industry and academia for purposes of determining visual system hardware, software and database development requirements.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

 

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A FORCE CUEING EVALUATION METHOD FOR TACTICAL TRAINING

Richard J. Heintzman

SIMTEC, Incorporated

 

Matthew Middendorf

Middendorf Scientific Services Inc.

 

James D. Basinger

Training Systems Product Group, Aeronautical Systems Center

United States Air Force (USAF)

 

As the fidelity increases for tactical aircraft training simulation devices, especially visual simulation, the contribution of Force Cueing needs to be established. The pilot in the aircraft constantly experiences various forces. These forces provide cues, consciously and unconsciously, about the accelerations of the aircraft resulting from pilot control input, the environment and aircraft failure. In a static simulator, these cues are not present. In a simulator with force cueing devices; such as motion platform, dynamic seat, G-suit; the contribution of Force Cues to pilot performance and training are virtually unknown. The issue of Force Cueing contribution for tactical aircraft training devices has been unanswered for twenty-five years. As the use of training devices increases and as these devices are being used for combat rehearsal, the contributions of Force Cueing needs to be established to ensure that the combat pilot performance in the simulator will be as close as possible to performance in the aircraft. As a result of an initial study conducted for the US Air Force by SIMTEC, Inc., Manassas, Virginia, it was concluded that the effectiveness of potential force cueing devices could only be determined by evaluation in a mission context with experienced operational pilot (Heintzman, 1997). The Air Force had already successfully performed similar operational evaluations of visual combat simulators, under a program referred to as "Vis-Eval" using these same ground rules. However, it was recognized in this study that force cueing effects are much more subtle and harder to isolate than visual cues and, therefore, would be more difficult to evaluate. Because of this difficulty and other factors, such as the pilots may be unaware of changes in their control strategy as a function of force cueing, it was essential that a force cueing evaluation be based largely on objective data collection. The concept which has been developed is to measure pilot behavior, physiology and performance and use that data together with subjective pilot opinion to evaluate system effectiveness. A trial evaluation was recently conducted in a fighter simulator to identify which pilot behaviors could be measured and how the data could be collected and analyzed. This simulator had a limited field of view visual display and three force cueing devices. Five task scenarios were flown by experienced fighter pilots with and without the presence of force cueing. Control activity and vehicle state data were analyzed to examine the effects of force cueing on pilot performance and control behavior. A debriefing questionnaire was used to elicit the pilot's subjective evaluation. The presence of force cueing generally improved pilot performance, control behavior, and made the simulator more operationally realistic. Due to the preliminary nature of this trial evaluation, only a subset of the force cueing evaluation methodology was identified. Future study is warranted. This paper describes the evaluation method and the results of the trial evaluation as well as future Force Cueing evaluation needs. The initial efforts to develop this evaluation method were reported at ITEC 97.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

A LCLV PROJECTOR FOR WIDE FIELD OF VIEW FLIGHT SIMULATOR

Marc Renault; Jean-Jacques Fontaine

Thomson Training & Simulation

Cergy-Pontoise France

 

A new high brightness high resolution projector for wide visual field of view flight simulators is presented. This display combines the Liquid Crystal Light Valve Technology with all the features necessary for multichannel projection onto a dome screen. A full digital correction system and an automatic alignment system have been designed to accurately match and blend adjacent channels. Projector design is reviewed and design trade-offs are explained.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

GEOSPECIFIC TEXTURES FOR VISUAL SIMULATION

M. Suter, Ph. Meuret, D. Nüesch K. Ch. Graf

Remote Sensing Laboratories Environmental Systems Research Institute

Department of Geography (ESRI)

 

This paper imparts the basics of remote sensing and of the processing of satellite images and aerial photographs with regard to geospecific landscape visualization. Remote sensing platform-and sensor-types and the particular systems used in this work are first described. Examples of NOAA AVHRR, Landsat TM, and SPOT HRV images, as well as aerial photographs are shown. The appropriate pro-processing steps, including geometric and radiometric corrections along with image enhancement procedures are outlined in the second part. Finally, examples of realistic 3rd landscape rendering are presented. These perspective views are rendered using mosaics of many images at various resolutions together with the appropriate digital elevation model.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

COTS USAGE - A CASE STUDY, CTT

David P. Gdovin, Angel Rodriguez

Diamond Visionics Company

 

The CCTT (Close Combat Tactical Trainer) Team training program was awarded in late 1993 by the U.S. Army. This simulation program, the largest ever awarded, has undergone an extensive development and testing program, and is scheduled to go into full production in 1999. In the fall of 1995 after prototype development and deployment, a key component supplier announced they would no longer manufacture the component, and no direct replacement was available. A Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract was initiated through the Army SBIR program to recommend an alternative solution. The resulting study (Phase I) examined 30 potential solutions, using a weighted matrix for scoring the results. The final recommendation is being developed in a prototype phase II contract, to be ready to fit within the final production contract to be let in early 1999. This paper deals with the issues of inserting new technology into a tightly integrated, technically complex solution to the visual system on the CCTT Commanders Popped Hatch Display. The issues are technical performance, cost, supportability, and production delivery schedule compatibility. These issues are typical problems encountered when parts become obsolete, but are unique problems when the obsolete part is identified at the end of the prototype phase just prior to the production phase. The CCTT program is dealing with the issues in a unique and innovative manner. This paper will discuss the issues, problems, and the methodology to solve the problem, and at a high level the solution to the problem.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

THE MASTER ENVIRONMENTAL LIBRARY (MEL)*

Dr. Richard Siquig

Naval Research Laboratory

 

Chuck Stein, Mirror Imaging, Inc.

 

Dr. Naim Alper , Steve Lowe, SAIC

 

The Master Environmental Library (MEL) is a World Wide Web (WWW) based data discovery and retrieval system providing access via a consistent single interface to oceanographic, terrain, atmospheric, and near space data bases and related tools residing in geographically distributed resource sites with arbitrary data base configurations and data formats. The key features of MEL are a consistent metadata contents standard for the data, a common user friendly interface, a generic order/delivery system, and use of standard transfer formats. Existing data centers can become MEL resource sites without changing their current data management methods or architecture and retain complete control over data releasability.

 

This paper is available on the 1998 CD ROM.  Order it from ITEC, Ltd. - Papers

THE SYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENT DATA REPRESENTATION AND INTERCHANGE SPECIFICATION (SEDRIS) DEVELOPMENT PROJECT