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Web Nexus, the virtual world platform from Engineering and Computer Simulations (ECS), will soon release a browser-based version that promises to lower costs and eliminate the need to install special software.
However, Defense Department users can’t access the new version just yet, as it will use Adobe Flash 11, which is still in the process of being certified for DoD networks. The waiting period will apply to most Web Nexus users, including the National Guard Bureau, the Department of Homeland Security, NATO and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Web Nexus will be ready to hit the ground running as soon as Flash 11 is certified to run on those networks,” said Brent Smith, chief technology officer at ECS. “We anticipate that Flash 11 will be approved, as the plug-in is currently installed on over 90 percent of DoD and government computers.”
Smith said switching to a Flash- and browser-based system offers many advantages. By eliminating the need to download software, updates need only be applied to the server, rather than to each user’s computer.
“They can deliver the browser without having to worry about all the information assurance issues on the client’s side,” Smith said.
A browser-based system is also less expensive.
“The new Nexus architecture greatly reduces these costs by allowing us to reduce the overall number of servers required to run Nexus,” Smith said. “Using the older Web Nexus technology, we would require approximately 18 low-end servers to accommodate 30 user avatars within the same environment. With the new Nexus architecture, we will require two.”
ECS is also applying its new Ztech virtual world engine in Web Nexus to add more features, including better authoring tools and scenario editors. Smith said Web Nexus will also have improved capabilities to track what users do inside the virtual environment, and use the data to tailor the user experience.
“We figured out a way to create a data model that allows us to roll up the interactions that go on in a virtual world into learning objectives,” Smith said. “We can see where they are proficient and where they are deficient, and then trigger different behavior or events in the virtual world. In that respect, it’s like an intelligent tutoring system.”
