A unifying model for the composition and simulation of behaviors in distributed virtual environments

A growing range of applications can benefit from distributed virtual environments (DVEs), from CAD (computer-aided design) to e-learning (electronic learning), and in a variety of sectors from entertainment to scientific simulations. Developing such projects is challenging because writing real-time software in computer graphics, distributed applications and behavioral simulations is technically difficult and because no comprehensive design methodologies have put the emphasis on the integration of complex and varied behaviors in distributed applications. We believe that by outlining the common mechanisms of behavioral simulation, by defining a model of communication between behavioral modules, and by implementing a scaleable framework for the composition and simulation of distributed behaviors, the task of the VR (virtual reality) developer will be made easier, more focused and more robust.