discovery machine inc aids winner of

Discovery Machine Inc. Aids Winner of $600,000 NASA Grant

Complex 3D simulations are a powerful tool for training, e-Learning,

and real-time operations support. Fortunately, with a new tool under

development using Hypercosm's 3D Software suite, they will soon be

easier and more economical to create as well.

After a successful prototype demonstration of a new web-based 3D

simulation authoring platform, PLANET LLC was awarded a $600,000 Small

Business Innovative Research Phase II Grant from NASA to deliver an

authoring tool that will allow subject matter experts or graphic

designers, and not high-level programmers, to create the logic behind

a complex simulation.

NASA is looking to use the Hypercosm 3D simulation platform for

web-based astronaut training and just-in-time operations support for

tasks like repairs or maintenance. As NASA continues their path toward

long-duration space missions, critical simulation tools like Hypercosm

will be a requirement for future crews that may have to perform tasks

months or years after they received their training.

The two year contract was awarded by the NASA Johnson Space Center in

Houston, Texas. PLANET LLC will use their web-based Hypercosm 3D

software partnered with software tools from their knowledge partner,

Discovery Machine Inc. of Williamsport, PA, to complete the tool

development. Discovery Machine Inc. specializes in software approaches

to knowledge acquisition and engineering, and building tools to make

this knowledge easily accessible to non-technical experts.

"This project will result in a very powerful but user-friendly tool

for developers of 3D training and operations," said Thomas Crabb,

President of PLANET LLC. "Web-based simulation will soon be the basis

for most training on complex systems, and when they can be authored

quickly and cost effectively - and still contain a high level of

artificial intelligence - they will become the training option of

choice."

About Discovery Machine, Inc.

Todd W. Griffith, Ph.D., is the president and co-founder of Discovery

Machine Inc., located in the historic Old City Hall on Pine Street in

downtown Williamsport.

Their mission is to enable experts to easily and affordably harness

human knowledge in a manner never before achievable. They achieve this

through the development of revolutionary products and services which

move beyond traditional knowledge acquisition and engineering, to

enable strategists, scientists and researchers to build working models

and simulations without writing code.

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Posted by Billtown Blonde at 11/05/2007 10:09:00 AM