SISO News

Technology Trends: Web Based Simulation Technology

Article by: Ernest H. Page, The MITRE Corporation

Ah, the wonderfully-webbed world, where would we be without it? Certainly, the age of the WWW is upon us. The emergence of the web and the proliferation of web-oriented technologies have driven engineers and scientists in many disciplines to re-evaluate the way they do business. Those involved with computer simulation are no exception to this phenomenon - "web-based simulation" has been introduced and is currently the subject of great interest to both simulation researchers and practitioners.
Not surprisingly, perhaps, since it is a fairly new field of study, web-based simulation is somewhat diffuse, including such areas as:

Simulation as hypermedia. Text, images, audio, video … simulation – the nature of the WWW design enables the production, storage and retrieval of "documents" containing any or all of these (and other kinds of) elements. The availability of simulation as a desktop, browser-based commodity has the potential to significantly alter current teaching and training methodologies – both for simulation as a technique, and for disciplines that apply simulation, like engineering, physics and biology. Paradigms that focus on distance learning and interactive, simulation-based education and training are emerging.

Simulation research methodology. Associated with the ability to rapidly disseminate models, results and publications on the web. The practical, economic and legal issues associated with electronic publication of simulation models are numerous.

Web-based access to simulation programs. The execution of existing (legacy) simulations from a web browser through HTML forms and CGI scripts, and the development of mobile-code simulations (e.g. applets) that run on the client side.

Distributed modeling and simulation. The use of the WWW and web-oriented technologies (e.g. CORBA, Java RMI) as infrastructure to support distributed simulation execution. Tools, environments and frameworks that support the distributed (collaborative) design and development of simulation models are included here as well.

Simulation of the WWW. Modeling and analysis of the WWW for performance characterization and optimization.

A common thread that runs through these diverse technical visions is a notion that the future of simulation lies in a collection of digital objects (models), published on the web, that will be employed singly or in conjunction with other objects to solve problems - distribution and interoperability. No doubt these are familiar notions for those involved with DoD M&S.
Are DoD technologies like the High Level Architecture (HLA) well-suited to support this envisioned web-based simulation future? Arguably, yes. However, the degree to which this technology transfer will be accomplished hinges largely on the level of participation by the DoD M&S community within the broader simulation world.
If you would more information about this emerging new field of simulation or would like to participate in the 1999 International Conference on Web-Based Modeling and Simulation. If you are interested in a forthcoming call for papers for a special issue of the ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation that focuses on web-based simulation, go to (http://www.acm.org/tomacs)
Ah, the wonderfully-webbed world, where would we be without it?

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Technology Trends: Web Based Simulation Technology
Article by: Ernest H. Page, The MITRE Corporation Ah, the wonderfully-webbed world, where would we be without it? Certainly, the age of the WWW is upon us. The emergence of the web and the proliferation of web-oriented technologies have driven engineers and scientists in many disciplines to re-evaluate the way they do business. Those involved with computer simulation are no exception to this phenomenon - "web-based simulation" has been introduced and is currently the subject of great interest to both simulation researchers and practitioners. Not surprisingly, perhaps, since it is a fairly new field of study, web-based simulation is somewhat diffuse, including such areas as: Simulation as hypermedia. Text, images, audio, video … simulation – the nature of the WWW design enables the production, storage and retrieval of "documents" containing any or all of these (and other kinds of) elements. The availability of simulation as a desktop, browser-based commodity has the potential to significantly alter current teaching and training methodologies – both for simulation as a technique, and for disciplines that apply simulation, like engineering, physics and biology. Paradigms that focus on distance learning and interactive, simulation-based education and training are emerging. Simulation research methodology. Associated with the ability to rapidly disseminate models, results and publications on the web. The practical, economic and legal issues associated with electronic publication of simulation models are numerous. Web-based access to simulation programs. The execution of existing (legacy) simulations from a web browser through HTML forms and CGI scripts, and the development of mobile-code simulations (e.g. applets) that run on the client side. Distributed modeling and simulation. The use of the WWW and web-oriented technologies (e.g. CORBA, Java RMI) as infrastructure to support distributed simulation execution. Tools, environments and frameworks that support the distributed (collaborative) design and development of simulation models are included here as well. Simulation of the WWW. Modeling and analysis of the WWW for performance characterization and optimization. A common thread that runs through these diverse technical visions is a notion that the future of simulation lies in a collection of digital objects (models), published on the web, that will be employed singly or in conjunction with other objects to solve problems - distribution and interoperability. No doubt these are familiar notions for those involved with DoD M&S. Are DoD technologies like the High Level Architecture (HLA) well-suited to support this envisioned web-based simulation future? Arguably, yes. However, the degree to which this technology transfer will be accomplished hinges largely on the level of participation by the DoD M&S community within the broader simulation world. If you would more information about this emerging new field of simulation or would like to participate in the 1999 International Conference on Web-Based Modeling and Simulation. If you are interested in a forthcoming call for papers for a special issue of the ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation that focuses on web-based simulation, go to (http://www.acm.org/tomacs) Ah, the wonderfully-webbed world, where would we be without it?
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SISO is also sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Modeling and Simulation Office, through a cooperative agreement administered by the U.S. Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command.