The entertainment industry and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) – though different in their motivations, objectives, and cultures – share a growing interest in modeling and simulation technologies. In entertainment, such technologies drive multibillion-dollar markets in video games, virtual reality attractions and theme parks, and film. For DOD, modeling and simulation provide a cost-effective means of training troops, developing doctrine and tactics, and evaluating new and upgraded systems.

This volume explores both entertainment and military applications of modeling and simulation technologies and examines ways in which the two communities can better leverage each other’s capabilities to strengthen the overall technology base. It identifies common research challenges in immersive synthetic environments, networked simulation, and computer-generated characters, as well as the hardware and software tools needed to create simulated environments. The book also discusses the differences in the business models of the entertainment and defense communities and addresses the need for continued support of multi-disciplinary educational and research initiatives in modeling and simulation.