Transitioning to PC-Based Simulation-One Perspective

Abstract

Doing "more for less" is a recurring theme facing researchers in many simulation facilities. In the area of simulation, one way to reduce operational costs is to invest in and operate inexpensive simulation computer systems. Traditionally, this has not been possible because very specialized computer systems were required to build simulation architectures that provided a deterministic timing mechanism and also assured that simulation processes executed in a predetermined order throughout the entire execution period of the simulation. However, with the advent of 2.0 OHz processors, powerful graphics cards, and the wide availability of software, the personal computer (PC) is now becoming a realistic option for developing real-time simulation architectures. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) researchers at the Aerospace Vehicle Technology Assessment and Simulation (AVTAS) Laboratory have integrated and tested a simple, PC-based, real-time simulation framework that executes under the Linux operating system. Using various hardware- and software-based timing mechanisms, along with nonspecialized software tools, the AVTAS Laboratory has developed a real-time simulation architecture that will enable the execution of simulation experiments on dual-CPU and quad-CPU PCs.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA404956

Entities

People

  • Adam Snyder
  • Glenn Williams
  • Joseph Nalepka
  • Thomas Danube
  • Thomas Dube

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeronautics
  • Aerospace Craft
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Aircrafts
  • Astronautics
  • Computers
  • Military Research
  • Operating Systems
  • Simulations
  • Software Development
  • Standards
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Computer Science.
  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Parallel and Distributed Computing.

Technology Areas

  • Space