Analysis domain model for shared virtual environments

The field of shared virtual environments, which also encompasses online games and social 3D environments, has a system landscape consisting of multiple solutions that share great functional overlap. However, there is little system interoperability between the different solutions. A shared virtual environment has an associated problem domain that is highly complex raising difficult challenges to the development process, starting with the architectural design of the underlying system. This paper has two main contributions. The first contribution is a broad domain analysis of shared virtual environments, which enables developers to have a better understanding of the whole rather than the part(s). The second contribution is a reference domain model for discussing and describing solutions - the Analysis Domain Model

Distributed shared memory for virtual environments

Bibliography: leaves 71-77.This work investigated making virtual environments easier to program, by designing a suitable distributed shared memory system. To be usable, the system must keep latency to a minimum, as virtual environments are very sensitive to it. The resulting design is push-based and non-consistent. Another requirement is that the system should be scaleable, over large distances and over large numbers of participants. The latter is hard to achieve with current network protocols, and a proposal was made for a more scaleable multicast addressing system than is used in the Internet protocol. Two sample virtual environments were developed to test the ease-of-use of the system. This showed that the basic concept is sound, but that more support is needed. The next step should be to extend the language and add compiler support, which will enhance ease-of-use and allow numerous optimisations. This can be improved further by providing system-supported containers

TRADE: a transatlantic research and development environment

In the framework of a joint project TRADE between CRCG and IGD, a distributed transatlantic environment is being designed and created which will serve as the working platform for the telecommunication projects involbing these two institutes. TRADE enables unprecedented comunication and collaboration and allows developing new sophisticated applicatons and scenarios which are the key to the competiveness of our industrial partners and which unite the people and countries of Europe and North America. On the basis of this contribution to the dynamic telecommunication and information environment, innovative products and services can be developed, tested, demonstrated and analyzed by using the principles of economic viability. This leads to new products and new projects which are needed in order to be competitive on the global market