Distributed interoperable virtual environments

Abstract

The paper exhibits the use of existing software bus technology in interconnecting virtual-reality environment (VE) software. Interoperability and application construction from heterogeneous modules are well-explored topics of distributed systems. A joint project using the Polylith software bus from the University of Maryland and VE software from the UNC graphics lab has shown the utility of composing existing applications as opposed to making extensive individual modifications. The paper claims only a unique application of these methods to a new client area. Multi-user VE walkthroughs (software navigators) are an exciting new area in graphics software but we see that with the rapid development of graphics technology, next-generation applications (including multiuser systems) are commonly redesigned from the ground up. Here we see an excellent opportunity to examine module reusability, with proven software, in a new application area. We hope our experiments will likely lead to conclusions about VE programming abstractions and produce development methods for making easily interoperable next-generation VE applications.