Using XML/HTTP to Store, Serve and Annotate Tactical Scenarios for X3D Operational Visualization and Anti-Terrorist Training

Adopting Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) are key steps to accommodate the evolution of Internet technologies. While HTTP is already a proven standard communication protocol responsible for the rapid expansion of the World Wide Web XML provides general mechanisms for determining validatable documents and addresses several deficiencies of HTML regarding diverse document structure and content. XML and HTTP together provide many of the essential capabilities associated with database engines. The Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) institute of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is continuing to build a database of 3D tactical scenarios and using X3D and VRML tools. The configuration parameters and statistical results of these scenarios are XML documents. For a better understanding and usability of these results by the end users a Webbased application stores and manipulates these XML document. This thesis develops a server-side application that can store serve and annotate tactical scenarios for X3D operational visualization and anti-terrorist training by using XML and HTTP technologies. The experimental demonstration for this work is the prototypical Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) simulation model developed by Lieutenant James W. Harney USN using Extensible 3D Graphics (X3D)/ Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) models.Naval Postgraduate School Monterey CA is the author of 'Using XML/HTTP to Store, Serve and Annotate Tactical Scenarios for X3D Operational Visualization and Anti-Terrorist Training', published 2003 under ISBN 9781423502715 and ISBN 142350271X.