Adaptive Military Behaviour in a Collaborative Simulation
Authors
Daniele Masato, Timothy J. Norman (Aberdeen), Steven Poltrock Boeing), Helen Bowyer, Peter Waggett (IBM-UK),
Abstract
Development of innovative and effective technologies to support complex collaborative human activities
depends both on observation and analysis of these activities and on iterative development and evaluation of the
technologies in the deployment context. Applying these principles to military mission planning and execution is
challenging because actual warfare is dangerous for both participants and observers. We use the simulation engine of a
computer-based game to simulate warfare, to recognize opportunities for technological intervention, and for
preliminary testing of potential technologies. We developed a simulation environment based on the commercial warfare
game Battlefield 2, and we use this environment to observe and analyse military behaviour and to evaluate how it is
affected by technological interventions such as software agents. In this paper we describe the environment and illustrate
how it can enhance our understanding of military activities and support our investigations of adaptive mission planning
as a means of achieving rapid adaptation to changing circumstances in a battlefield. Our research explores methods for
interpreting the collaborative behaviour of simulation participants and constructing dynamic models of the mission
context. We investigate how a planning agent can actively support participants by comparing the current context to the
mission plans and objectives and suggesting actions that will facilitate participants’ progress. We also describe how the
environment can be extended to simulate the effects of both sensor and communication networks in military operations.
Finally, the use of computer-based games and community-based development of additions to this environment provides
a sharp contrast to more traditional methods used by military organizations for developing systems, sensors and agents
to aid their war fighters. We compare the two approaches and indicate where the new methods have a place in military
thinking.
Publication Date
June, 2008
Venue
EURO SIW 2008
Published To
Conference
Publication Type
Externally published
ITA Area
Project 10, Technical area 4
Download a copy of the paper here
08E-SIW-049.pdf
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