CMDR Case Studies: Developing Intelligent Systems

CMDR has been used in a number of different applications. The following are representative of applications where CMDR has been used.

1. Command Post of Future

Command Post of the Future (CPOF) is a DARPA program. CPOF is currently building a Command and Control system for the military commander. Part of this effort includes the integration of simulation data with command and control systems. CMDR is used to bridge the communications gap between these two worlds.

Using the CMDR API, a custom application was developed to synchronize data between several HLA-compliant simulations, and two custom visualization tools that were constructed using the Java Messaging System (JMS). In this configuration, CMDR allows data from the simulations to pass through to the visualizations, but filters out unnecessary communications. CMDR has been shown to dramatically reduce the amount of data processing necessary in the visualizations.



CMDR has also been used as an HLA recording/playback tool. This capability has allowed visualization developers to continue working without direct network access to the simulations. By recording a number of simulation runs with CMDR, the visualization teams can then design, implement, and evolve their own systems without needing to master, or provide resources for, the actual simulations.

2. Interoperable C4ISR System & Modeling and Simulation - Intelligent Notification

The Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) is investigating the use of simulation to better support military planning and execution. This particular program is building software capable of monitoring plan execution. The system continually searches for critical deviations from plan, and alerts the operator to them. This allows the re-direction of forces without the delay of a traditional planning cycle.

Using CMDR, a network of intelligent agents have been successfully integrated with an HLA federation between a C4I system (GCCS) and a battle simulation (ITEM). The resulting “federation of federations” is capable of recognizing a plan, extracting its critical elements, and monitoring execution for deviations. The C4I system operator is immediately notified when something important has happened. CMDR supports the system in a number of ways:

• The CMDR API has been used to develop a gateway between an existing federation and intelligent agents. The gateway makes full use of the message filtering facility in CMDR, and reduces the need for agents to process a tremendous number of messages from the HLA systems.
   
• As an agent itself, CMDR first publishes the federation data model to ISL, allowing intelligent agents to register for only the data they are interested in. Once a subscription has been received, CMDR then passes the appropriate federation data directly to the requesting agent. CMDR also pushes data back into the federation on behalf of the intelligent agents.
   
• Finally, CMDR has been used to record live HLA data streams and play them back at will. This has significantly reduced duplication of both computing and staff resources during systems development.

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