Task characteristics specifications for virtual human avatars

This paper presents an extension to a VRML based simulation parameter and characteristics data definition set for physically based general simulation. This extension provides characteristics and parameter definitions useful in utilizing task based behavior paradigms for avatars. The design is based upon "task characteristics" analysis in human factors. The paper briefly discusses a scheme to introduce avatars and their tasks into a distributed simulation. This scheme is prototyped with the SimVRML Simulation Suite (SSS). SSS is a suite of applications used to prototype VR simulation concepts such as task behaviors. All of the application components of the SSS have cross platform equivalents with this paper focusing on Macintosh OSX based components.