Software uses simulated combatants, counter-terrorism scenarios
to facilitate experimentation on emerging C2 concept
SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 4, 2006 – Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. (www.stottlerhenke.com) has won a two-year, $200,000 contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/IFSB) in Rome, NY, and sponsored by the Information Institute. Stottler Henke will develop a simulation-based testbed that Air Force researchers will use to explore new command & control (C2) concepts. The project incorporates new artificial intelligence (AI)-based capabilities into the Counter-Strike counter-terrorism game, so researchers can experiment with various C2 approaches and battlespace awareness technologies. For example, it enables a researcher to vary how a simulated light infantry unit communicates, or the weapons it uses, in an engagement, and then evaluate the outcome of the fighting. Through this experimentation, researchers hope to glean new insights into the relative strengths and weaknesses of approaches, which could affect future military planning and strategy.
“The military is very interested in exploring the ‘power to the edge’ concept – pushing decision- making authority down to people in the field who have the most current information,” said Dan Fu, the project leader at Stottler Henke. “The challenge is to do this without sacrificing the ability to coordinate operations effectively, to leverage all military assets and to apply the full scope of knowledge about a situation that bubbles up to commanders.”
Stottler Henke is using its commercially-available SimBionic® visual authoring tool to build “behaviors” of simulated forces. SimBionic is a powerful AI middleware solution that helps designers and developers rapidly create intelligent behavior for games and simulations.
“Our initial focus is on ground forces, but we envision the system being used to model and analyze the performance of different C2 methods as they are used by many types of military forces, as well as the impact of new technologies, such as being able to see through walls,” Fu added.
Founded in 1988, Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. applies artificial intelligence and other advanced software technologies to solve problems that defy solution using traditional approaches. The company delivers intelligent software solutions for education and training, planning and scheduling, knowledge management and discovery, decision support, and software development. Stottler Henke’s clients include manufacturers, retailers, educational media companies and government agencies. In 2006, Stottler Henke was the subject of a NASA “Hallmarks of Success” video profile for its work developing and later commercializing advanced planning and training software systems. Stottler Henke received a 2004 “Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning” award for innovative technology. For the past three consecutive years, Stottler Henke was named one of the “top 100” companies making a significant impact on the military training industry by Military Training Technology magazine, and in 2005 received a Blue Ribbon recognizing it as a company that leads the industry in innovation.
Oct. 4, 2006
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