In: IEICE Trans. on Fundamentals in Electronics, Communications and Computers, Vol. E83-A, No. 11, pages 2166-2176. 2000.
Abstract: Despite their attractive properties, networked virtual environments (net-VEs) are notoriously difficult to design, implement and test due to the concurrency, real-time and networking features in these systems. The current practice for net-VE design is basically trial and error, empirical, and totally lacks formal methods. This paper proposes to apply a Petri net formal modeling technique to a net-VE: NICE (Narrative Immerisive Constructionist/Collaborative Environment), predict the net-VE performance based on simulation and improve the net-VE performance. NOCE is essentially a network of collaborative virtual reality systems called CAVE (CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment). First, extended fuzzy-timing Petri net models of both CAVE and NICE are presented. Then, by using these models and Design/CPN as the simulation tool, various simulations are conducted to study real-time behavior, network effects and performance (latencies and jitters) of NICE. The obtained simulation results are consistent with experimental data.
Keywords: CAVE, Design/CPN, NICE, fuzzy-timing Petri nets, networked virtual environments.