Interactive Environment for Command and Control Simulation Scenarios Inside CAVE

The Cave Automated Virtual Environment (CAVE) is being used and investigated by several scientists and researchers from different fields. Using the currently available tools to create and modify simulation scenarios to be rendered inside the CAVE requires users with special programming skills and experiences. Also, current CAVEs do not provide the ability for more than two participants to collaboratively use and interact with a scenario inside the CAVE. This paper presents the proposed Interactive Environment for Command and Control Simulation Scenarios Inside CAVE. This environment runs on a desktop computer that is connected, directly or remotely, to the CAVE. It gives users the ability to create command and control simulation scenarios as well as interactively modifying elements of a running simulation scenario. This interactive environment runs in a real-time manner, such that any interaction done in any side, the CAVE side or the desktop side will be simultaneously reflected and rendered on the other side. Moreover, this environment provides facilities that allow users to manage and estimate tasks, objects, time, or people involved in a command and control simulation scenario.