Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

Resource-constraint And Scalable Data Distribution Management For High Level Architecture

In this dissertation, we present an efficient algorithm, called P-Pruning algorithm, for data distribution management problem in High Level Architecture. High Level Architecture (HLA) presents a framework for modeling and simulation within the Department of Defense (DoD) and forms the basis of IEEE 1516 standard. The goal of this architecture is to interoperate multiple simulations and facilitate the reuse of simulation components. Data Distribution Management (DDM) is one of the six components in HLA that is responsible for limiting and controlling the data exchanged in a simulation and reducing the processing requirements of federates. DDM is also an important problem in the parallel and distributed computing domain, especially in large-scale distributed modeling and simulation applications, where control on data exchange among the simulated entities is required. We present a performance-evaluation simulation study of the P-Pruning algorithm against three techniques: region-matching, fixed-grid, and dynamic-grid DDM algorithms. The P-Pruning algorithm is faster than region-matching, fixed-grid, and dynamic-grid DDM algorithms as it avoid the quadratic computation step involved in other algorithms. The simulation results show that the P-Pruning DDM algorithm uses memory at run-time more efficiently and requires less number of multicast groups as compared to the three algorithms. To increase the scalability of P-Pruning algorithm, we develop a resource-efficient enhancement for the P-Pruning algorithm. We also present a performance evaluation study of this resource-efficient algorithm in a memory-constraint environment. The Memory-Constraint P-Pruning algorithm deploys I/O efficient data-structures for optimized memory access at run-time. The simulation results show that the Memory-Constraint P-Pruning DDM algorithm is faster than the P-Pruning algorithm and utilizes memory at run-time more efficiently. It is suitable for high performance distributed simulation applications as it improves the scalability of the P-Pruning algorithm by several order in terms of number of federates. We analyze the computation complexity of the P-Pruning algorithm using average-case analysis. We have also extended the P-Pruning algorithm to three-dimensional routing space. In addition, we present the P-Pruning algorithm for dynamic conditions where the distribution of federated is changing at run-time. The dynamic P-Pruning algorithm investigates the changes among federates regions and rebuilds all the affected multicast groups. We have also integrated the P-Pruning algorithm with FDK, an implementation of the HLA architecture. The integration involves the design and implementation of the communicator module for mapping federate interest regions. We provide a modular overview of P-Pruning algorithm components and describe the functional flow for creating multicast groups during simulation. We investigate the deficiencies in DDM implementation under FDK and suggest an approach to overcome them using P-Pruning algorithm. We have enhanced FDK from its existing HLA 1.3 specification by using IEEE 1516 standard for DDM implementation. We provide the system setup instructions and communication routines for running the integrated on a network of machines. We also describe implementation details involved in integration of P-Pruning algorithm with FDK and provide results of our experiences

A domain specific language for dynamic interest management within virtual environments

Interest management is a widely used term within the area of virtual environments. It is so widely used that there even exist many synonyms for the concept. Thus both the terminology, and meaning of the concept are currently not well defined. The typical aim of interest management techniques within virtual environments has been to increase scalability. However, this thesis argues that the concept of interest management should not be so tightly coupled with the goal of scalable virtual environments, but be a concept in its own right, i.e. the management of interests. The main focus of this thesis is the representation of expressions of interest. The various techniques for expressing interest are surveyed and evaluated, providing the basis for the research into a suitable representation. This representation is achieved in two stages. The first part of this thesis introduces a novel dynamic interest management technique based upon set theory. It describes how it is expressive enough to implement most of the static interest management techniques currently available such as categorisation, locales, and interacting locales. By de-coupling the logic that implements these interests from the virtual environment, it can also describe how interests can be changed during the virtual environment's execution, thus making the technique dynamic. Enforcing and denying interests is also considered, allowing for the enforcement of interests integral to the requirements of the virtual environment. An example of this is denying the user the ability to be interested in artefacts that aren't visible. The new approach presented is implemented with SQL, and evaluated. The second part of this thesis focusses on the limitations of using SQL as an implementation language, focussing on issues of readability and succinctness and a lack of any abstraction mechanisms. Overcoming these limitations is treated as the primary design goal for a new domain specific language for representing interests. The thesis introduces this language, Wish, and evaluates it within the domain, demonstrating that it is as expressive as SQL yet is more readable, conceptually succinct and allows for arbitrary abstraction of complexity.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Architecture de communication à QoS garantie pour la simulation distribuée

Les travaux décrits dans cette thèse s'articulent autour des architectures de communication en réseaux locaux et réseaux distants pour les applications de simulation distribuée interactive, particulièrement dans le cadre du projet Platsim. Nous avons traité dans un premier temps, les aspects gestion de la QoS pour les simulations distribuées basées sur les middlewares HLA et DDS en réseaux locaux, et ensuite nous avons étendu cette contribution avec DDS sur des réseaux grandes distances. La première contribution consiste à enrichir PlatSim par un modèle formel pour la gestion de la QoS que nous avons implémentée sur HLA pour combler les manques de QoS dont souffre ce middleware. Ensuite, nous avons proposé une architecture pour l'interconnexion des simulateurs distribués avec le middleware DDS. L'utilisation de DDS est intéressante pour la simplicité de son implémentation et ses performances de communication déjà prouvées sur des systèmes complexes. Dans la deuxième contribution, nous avons développé un algorithme de navigation à l'estime (dead-reckoning) pour l'anticipation du comportement des entités simulées. Cette approche permet d'émuler leur comportement lors de la détermination de l'erreur maximale admissible satisfaisant les contraintes de la QoS requise, ce qui, en cas de défaillance du système de communication, permet d'estimer le comportement des objets simulés. Ensuite, nous avons présenté une proposition pour l'interconnexion des simulations distribuées DDS et cette approche de dead-reckoning, par deux mécanismes différents: dans un premier temps, nous avons montré qu'il est possible d'utiliser le service de routage DDS pour mettre en place un "pont-fédéré" DDS permettant d'interconnecter des domaines DDS différents dans un même domaine IP, et ensuite nous avons proposé un "Proxy DDS" qui permet d'interconnecter des simulations DDS situées dans des domaines DDS différents et des domaines IP hétérogènes. Enfin, nos deux dernières contributions concernent l'étude et la mise en place d'une architecture de communication à grande distance à QoS garantie pour les simulations distribuées sur DDS. Tout d'abord, nous avons présenté une architecture de signalisation de la QoS pour en se basant sur l'utilisation conjointe du protocole COPS et de la signalisation SIP. Ensuite, nous avons étendu des travaux réalisés au LAAS-CNRS dans le cadre du projet européen EuQoS. Nous avons alors utilisé des composants de cette architecture que nous avons adaptés pour fournir, à l'utilisateur final ou à l'administrateur de l'application, des interfaces simples lui permettant de demander le type de service requis pour son application sans avoir besoin de changer le protocole de signalisation.Stimulated by the growth of network-based applications, middleware technologies for Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) applications are taking an increasing importance in large scale systems, and motivate the need to achieve end-to-end Quality-of-Service (QoS) over local and large-scale networks. The aims of this thesis revolve around network communication architecture for DIS applications in LAN and WAN. Its first contribution is to design and implement high performance Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) application using the HLA (High Level Architecture) and DDS (Data Distribution Service) middleware in LANs: HLA is used in conjonction with Hierarchical Timed Stream Petri Nets (HTSPN) to allow a powerful analysis techniques for validating and implementing QoS mechanisms in the application layer. Then, we show how DDS can successfully deliver the needed capabilities of DIS applications, provides fast and predictable distribution of real-time critical data in local area network. In the second contribution we suggest a novel extension of Dead Reckoning to increase the network availability and fulfill the required QoS in large-scale DIS applications. The proposed algorithm is based on a fuzzy inference system which is trained by the learning algorithm derived from the neuronal networks and fuzzy inference theory. The proposed mechanism is based on the optimization approach to calculate the error threshold violation in networking games. Then, We show the limitations of the usage DDS Routing Services over the Internet and suggests a Proxy DDS to overcome those shortcomings. In the last contributions we present a dynamic ressource allocation SIP-based framework for the signaling plane DDS-based DIS applications. We give the design and implementation of this framework, the new concepts of the extended SIP to improve the QoS management mechanisms. Then, we present an QoS approach using the EuQoS (End-to-End QoS over Heterogeneous Networks) architecture to define a NGN (Next Generation Network) architecture for distributed interactive simulation that builds, uses and manages end-to-end QoS across different administrative domains and heterogeneous networks