Texture, Vol 3 Issue 1

ENERGIZING

A LT E R N AT I V E S Central Florida fuels energy research

S O LV I N G THE PUZZLE UCF Tech Incubator critical piece to entrepreneurial puzzle

THE LEARNING

GAME

Orlando is ahead of the class in virtual ed development

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The OPPORTUNITY:

To discover new cures.

To discover new possibilities.

To discover.

O

pportunity is a powerful thing. It is the catalyst for change and the foundation for groundbreaking discoveries. At UCF, we’re providing the opportunity

for visionary researchers to identify the genes responsible for certain forms of prostate, ovarian and kidney cancers, and for innovative scientists to use gene chip technology to solve the mystery of human ischemic heart disease. In fact, at UCF, opportunity abounds for pioneers in all fields. In 2005, our dedicated faculty reached a new milestone, garnering over $103 million in research funding and setting the stage for significant discoveries in such fields as cancer research,

Stands For Opportunity

infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. At UCF, we’re answering some of the world’s most critical medical questions. And it all starts with opportunity.

www.ucf.edu

UCF_texture ad.indd 1

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contents

TEXTURE

ORLANDO’S TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission President & CEO Texture Executive Publisher Raymond Gilley Vice President, Marketing Texture Associate Publisher Maureen Brockman Vice President, Tech Industry Development Texture Editor John Fremstad

TEXTURE WINTER/SPRING 2006 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

Departments

Director, CFTP Texture Project Support Amy Edge

FROM THE EDITOR 5 TECH TRENDS 6

Director, Publications & Web Design Texture Project Support Lisa Addy

INTERFACE 10 PEAK PERFORMER 12

Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

SPECIAL FX 14

President Texture Publisher William C. Peeper

INNOVATION ALLEY 28 FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR 30

Vice President of Publications Texture Associate Publisher Deborah Kicklighter Henrichs

INTELLIGENT FORMS OF LIFESTYLE 32

Features ENERGIZING ALTERNATIVES 16

Managing Editor Connie Sue White

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Senior Director of Advertising Sales Sheryl Taylor 407.354.5568 Contributing Writers Steve Blount, Nancy Christianson Curry, Rafaela Ellis, Denise Enos, Trent Flood, Jackie Kelvington, Scott Leon, Mark Onusko and C.S. White

SOLVING THE PUZZLE 22 Technology Incubator helps start-ups piece together the entrepreneurial puzzle.

Contributing Photographer & Illustrator Phelan Ebenhack, Frank J. Quinones

THE LEARNING GAME 25 University of Central Florida is creating new high-tech learning tools to benefit creative-minded communities.

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Publication Artists Laura Bluhm, Ranae Ledebuhr, Michele Trimble, Frank J. Quinones Senior Production Coordinator Elaine Hébert

Science, business and government unite to fuel Central Florida's energy future.

On the Cover: Illustration by Frank J. Quinones

Director, Public Relations Texture Project Support Trent Flood

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This publication is sponsored in part by the Orange County Government’s Economic Stimulus Package 2.0 and the University of Central Florida. Texture magazine is produced by everything ink, a division of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.® (Orlando CVB), for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.

Orlando CVB: 6700 Forum Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32821, Phone 407.363.5841, Fax 407.370.5021. Texture magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives or transparencies. Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission 301 East Pine Street, Suite 900 Orlando, Fla 32801. Phone: 407.422.7159 or 888.TOP.CITY. Fax: 407.425.6428. E-mail: info@orlandoedc.com. Advertising information: 407.354.5512. Copyright 2004 Metro Orlando EDC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of Orlando CVB, on behalf of the EDC, is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.

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from the editor

CURVE

Ahead of the

>>

Well, people how you doing...there’s a new day dawning For the earth mother it’s a brand new morning For such a long while there’s been such a longing But now the sun is shining let’s roll back the awning — “Check Your Head,”the Beastie Boys

While people know Orlando as the world’s top travel destination...what they don’t know is it’s also a top region for business. Fueled by the creativity and innovation of its multi-faceted technology industry, Metro Orlando is truly “putting imagination to work”. In fact, nearly 5,000 high tech companies and 65,000 high tech workers already call the region home. There’s a reason why these companies have chosen Metro Orlando. For example, did you know that Orlando... >> has been named one of America’s best locations for entrepreneurs; >> has been cited as one of the “hottest cities” for business expansion; >> sees the start-up of more than 13,000 companies each year; >> is home to one of America’s top 10 research parks;

>> is recognized as the simulation and training industry capital of the world; and >> is home to the nation’s #1 technology incubator?

Also: >> Orlando is a top location for the optics and photonics industry...with one of the few schools dedicated to this industry located at the University of Central Florida (UCF). >> UCF was the first school in the country to offer masters’ and doctoral programs in modeling, simulation and training. >> Orlando is at the heart of a larger 23-county technology region known as Florida’s High Tech Corridor. >> Orlando is home to one of only two National Entrepreneur Centers.

We are working hard to make sure that these statistics are only the beginning. Working in partnership with business, academia and government, we are confident that the area will continue to be a national leader in technology and business development.

We have our work cut out for us, but we’re off to a good start. This issue of TEXTURE touches on many of the high wage, high value industries already located here —and, hopefully, continues the conversation on how to maintain and create more.

The foundation we’re building upon includes: ... nearly 44,000 students enrolled at America’s eighth largest university; ... the #1 and #5 hospital systems in the United States; ... thousands of residents that are masters at telling stories, sparking imagination, and providing people with virtual experiences; ... the military’s simulation procurement commands, supporting the largest concentration of modeling and simulation companies in the world; ... a mature, local film, TV and digital media industry supporting the region’s $850-million production market. ... and, a critical mass of companies involved in creating tomorrow’s interactive entertainment.

Examine our region’s TEXTURE, engage in this conversation and enjoy the experience.

John S. Fremstad Metro Orlando EDC vice president, Tech Industry Development & Texture editor

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tech trends

THE AIRWAYS

Piloting

AVIATION SIMULATION TRAINING IS TAKING OFF IN ORL

By Jackie Kelvington

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LANDO.

>>

Forget what might immediately come to mind when you think about the airline industry business. Despite factors such as higher gas prices and mixed earnings, there’s a silver lining in this cloud. Some positive news coming out of the industry could nurture a blossoming niche and bolster the economy.

With airline passenger traffic rebounding and aircraft manufacturing on a steady climb, pilot hiring has risen to record levels. Between the majors, nationals, regionals, business aviation, freight carriers, and helicopters, more than 6,500 pilots have been hired in 2005. Given these industry indicators, pilot training on simulation equipment is expected to soar. And, places such as Orlando are already showing the potential to provide the billiondollar high tech training required for these pilots.

A CLUSTERING INDUSTRY Orlando, unlike most (if not all) other major markets in the United States, has two critical assets to grow this aviation simulation training niche. The first: it is home to Orlando International Airport — one of the largest and fastest growing international airports, as well as Orlando Sanford International Airport and a host of other regional and executive airports. Second: Orlando is recognized as the largest simulation industry cluster in the nation. Numerous aircraft and ground support firms, renowned flight training schools, adjacent land to airports

and great year-round weather, round out some of the region’s other major assets for the industry.

In fact, these advantages topped the list for JetBlue, which selected Orlando as the site for its first flight-training center, aircraft maintenance and Live TV installation hangar — all of which opened in 2005.

“Orlando is a natural fit for our needs,” says Mike Barger, chief learning officer for JetBlue Airways.

“Among other things, it has great weather, things for our students to do while they’re here in training, a cooperative business climate, and land.”

In addition to JetBlue, other major pilot training organizations, as well as numerous aviation simulation companies, are located in the Orlando region. They include: >> FlightSafety International, which is the world’s largest provider of aviation services, training more than 65,000 pilots annually on some of the most advanced simulators. The company’s nearby FlightSafety Academy is dedicated exclusively to training future professional pilots. >> The Regional Airline Academy, based in Central Florida, is a renowned airline career school providing professional pilot education and utilizing the latest in aviation technology and modern aircraft. >> PanAm International Flight Academy/ SimCom training center offers business and general aviation pilots one of the industry’s most acclaimed simulation training experiences, as well as jet training programs.

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>> Numerous companies engaged in aviation-related simulation can be found in Orlando, including: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Adacel (which manufactures the most widely used air traffic control tower simulator) and Indra Systems (which develops aircraft and helicopter training simulators for U.S. pilots). >> AirTran Airways maintains its corporate headquarters in Orlando and dozens of other major carriers provide service to Orlando.

And, it doesn’t hurt that Orlando has a huge related digital media base and is close to the talent and expertise of NASA. “Our company moved to Orlando for one primary reason — it is the capital of

“OUR COMPANY MOVED TO ORLANDO FOR ONE PRIMARY REASON — IT IS THE CAPITAL OF THE SIMULATION WORLD. ” — MARK CREASAP, ADACEL the simulation world,” says Mark Creasap, general manager of Adacel. “Orlando offers a myriad of capabilities for a young simulation company such as ours, including a strong industry cluster, a skilled workforce, a top-notch university, and a proactive state and city that encourages and assists in growth programs.”

HIGH-FLYING SCHOOLS & SERVICES Three area universities play a significant role in nurturing the pilot profession and creating a simulation training ground in Central Florida. >> Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world’s leader in aviation higher education, with more

BEYOND AVIATION Today, Central Florida is recognized as the national center for the modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) industry in the U.S., and is home to a significant percentage of the nation’s MS&T companies.

These companies derive benefits from an environment complete with leading-edge research facilities, world-class educational programs and vital supporting resources in addition to those outlined in “Piloting the Airways”: • Marketplace: As the country’s preeminent focal point for MS&T, Metro Orlando has attracted companies specializing in a wide range of industry applications — from entertainment to emergency preparedness to transportation planning. The sector’s 100+ companies employ 16,847 workers in Central Florida.

• Education: The region is home to some of the top educational and research institutions in the country committed to furthering the success of the MS&T industry.

• The University of Central Florida’s Institute for Simulation and Training is an internationally recognized research institute that focuses on advancing modeling and simulation technology.

• Other education options in this field start as early as the high school magnet program level, and extend through specialized community college and technical school programs.

• Industry Organization and Involvement: Orlando is home to the headquarters of the National Center for Simulation, the industry’s premier professional organization. The region also annually hosts I/ITSEC, the world’s largest international defense simulation conference.

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than 35 degree programs offered and a curriculum that covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing, and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them.

The university also offers its Commercial Airline Pilot Training (CAPT) program, as well as FAA certification programs. >> The Florida Institute of Technology also provides a noted aviation and flight training program with highly regarded instructors and a fleet of more than 35 aircraft. >> And the University of Central Florida (UCF) houses several centers of excellence to serve the industry, including the Center for Applied Human Factors in Aviation, the Center for Advanced Transportation Systems Simulation, and an FAA/UCF Partnership for Aviation Team Training Research.

Orlando’s appeal to the commercial aviation simulation sector also stems from a significant cluster of the industry’s support and maintenance services. This impressive list includes: Cessna’s aviation maintenance and repair service center; FMC Airport Systems, which provides commercial aircraft equipment, parts and technology-based solutions; ground handling, fueling, cargo and passenger services provided by Signature Flight Support and Aircraft Service International Group; and Aircraft Engineering & Installation Services, which designs, manufactures and supervises the installation of aircraft avionics systems.

With an already established industry niche, along with world-renowned airports; the largest simulation industry in the country; top flight-training schools; numerous aircraft and ground support firms; available land adjacent to airports; and more, Metro Orlando has landed as one of the top locations f o r pilo t tra ining o n a dvanc ed simulation systems. For more on the industry in Orlando, visit www.orlanx doedc.com.

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Programs and partnerships allow us to understand the potential for alternative energy sources.

INNOVATE. INTEGRATE. INVEST. OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.

WE BELIEVE PROTECTING THE

At Progress Energy, we’re committed to

ENVIRONMENT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF

finding new ways to produce energy cleanly

STRONG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

and efficiently. Which is why we’re utilizing

Visit us at progress-energy.com to access a copy of our environmental report.

©2005 Progress Energy Florida, Inc.

some of the most innovative technologies in the world to reduce air emissions and improve water quality. The relentless pursuit of excellence. It’s what we’re all about.

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IT’S SHOW TIME

By C.S.White

LMG, INC.’S LES GOLDBERG

>>

In 1984, a 17-year-old Central Florida high-school student hatched the beginnings of what has grown into a $30-million-dollar-plus, full-service, show technology company. It all started with a $5,000 loan from his uncle and the rental of a video projector. Les M. Goldberg opened the doors of the one-room LMG, Inc., office to his first client — Visual Aids Electronics — for an event at the Hilton Lake Buena Vista. The rest, as they say, is history. Goldberg exchanged his plans to attend either University of Southern California’s or New York University’s film school for a business plan. Today, LMG has “graduated” to three offices (Orlando, Las Vegas and Phoenix) that provide video, audio and lighting support for shows and special events; a multi-million-dollar inventory of state-of-the-art equipment; 175 employees; and 2,000 clients, including at least half of the Fortune 500 companies.

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PHOTOS BY PHELAN EBENHACK

T Texture: Why did you choose the business of video projection services? lg Les Goldberg: When I was in high school, I started working for my neighbor and learned how to use a video projector. After seeing the demand, I decided to buy one that I could rent and operate around Orlando while attending Seminole Community College. It turned out to be a lucrative investment and altered my career path.

T In 1990, LMG broke the $1 million mark and introduced the truckin-a-box concept (a multi-camera video production package conveniently sent to clients in shipping cases and allowing for quick set up).

How important was the introduction of this concept to your business? lg It was a pivotal moment for LMG. At the time, we were trying to give our clients the opportunity to do multi-camera production. It gave us a platform and made us stand out from our competitors. We captured the niche market and were able to, literally, roll in and set up quickly.

be for this type of business. Looking back, did you have any idea how LMG was going to dovetail so well with Orlando’s convention market? lg Not at all! We couldn’t have planned it better ... the stars were definitely in alignment. We are fortunate and committed to being in the right place at the right time, and we have a commitment to continued growth.

T Since then, LMG has engineered additional production packages, including two HD systems, four digital systems and four analog systems. It takes talent to design these systems. Is it easy to find the staff you need in Orlando? lg Fortunately, we are able to find quality people because we’re recognized as the market leaders in what we do. People are drawn to us because we offer the best products. Don’t get me wrong, it is hard to find good talent, but we are dedicated to doing so and good talent, often times, finds us. And yes, we do hire graduates from local institutions — both UCF and Full Sail.

T What does it mean to your company to have been selected twice as the onsite contractor for the Orange County Convention Center, the nation’s second largest convention center? lg From a local perspective, there is a lot of pride involved. Our local headquarters is right down the road [from the Center] so it’s a good fit.

We’re good partners with the County.

It’s a symbiotic relationship, and we are happy to do work in the first-class facility.

T What is the key to your success? lg The key to our success is going above and beyond on everything we do. We put the interest of our clients first, exceed their expectations and go the extra mile.

T Who are your main competitors? lg As a national, full-service show technology provider that also does permanent installations, we have different competition for each of our specialties, but there are few fullservice companies.

T Why do your clients choose LMG over your competitors? lg Our clients choose us because we have the best collection of resources — both equipment and people — and we are able to execute and deliver upon their expectations. We will go to any length to keep a customer happy.

T As one of the world’s premier meetings and convention destinations, Orlando is an obvious place to

T You are currently in the process of expanding LMG’s 58,000-squarefoot Orlando facility and recently finished construction on the new 64,000-square-foot Vegas facility.

The future looks bright. What lies ahead? lg We have a lot going on. We’re going to expand the Orlando office and we recently moved in to our new Vegas facility. At some point, we would like to pursue a Northeast location.

Simply put, our goal is to keep growing our business.

T Why has Orlando turned out to be an ideal location for LMG headquarters through the years, versus a city like Las Vegas or Chicago? lg Orlando has turned out to be a great location because of the weather, local attractions, reasonable cost of living, clean air and proximity to beaches.

T If you were to start this kind of business today, would Orlando be your place of choice? lg Yes. Orlando is in the early phases of its boom. There are still many opporx tunities that lie ahead.

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peak performer

Head

By Scott Leon

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XOS TECHNOLOGIES FOUNDER DAN ATON

Mention a coach reviewing game films to most sports fans and that likely sparks an image of Vince Lombardi sitting in a darkened room watching hours of footage on an old projector.

In today’s world of high def, high-tech, this scenario is hardly the case. Thanks to Central Florida-based XOS Technologies, Inc. (as in Xs and Os in a playbook), most professional teams analyze their games using methods that are every bit as cutting-edge as anything you’d find in a sophisticated digital lab.

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PHOTO BY PHELAN EBENHACK

>>

COACH

Founded in 1999 by Dan Aton, XOS made its name by producing a system that allows coaches to scrutinize film almost any way they choose — and that’s just the tip of what XOS does for professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues.

“We began by providing coaches the ability to effectively manage their video, data and teaching equipment, as well as

enhance team communication and preparation. Now we provide a full range of DVD, wireless, touch screen and telestration — like [the play illustration graphics] John Madden uses on TV — technologies. And, they can use this gear at the stadium, at the practice field and even on the road,” says Alton. “But, we’ve expanded far beyond our Coaching Tools. XOS offers complete design and integration services for facilities, an online fan management platform and a new ticket management solution.”

PLAYBOOK BEGINNINGS Aton, a big sports fan and an even bigger technology buff, began the company when he saw a need for advanced technologies while installing electronics at the RDV Sportsplex for the Orlando Magic. The team asked him to develop specific systems that would better suit their needs for gathering, producing and distributing multimedia information within their operations.

“I quickly became aware that there was a definite market for this kind of thing in the world of athletics. Coaches never watch an entire game in a linear fashion; instead they view cut-ups, or specific segments of certain kinds of plays,” explains Aton. “We initially used software already in existence to allow them to do this. But by early 2001 we were designing our own with input from coaches everywhere and especially from XOS Executive Vice President Randy Eccker, who was a college coach for ten years and in the sports technology industry for more than 14 years. That was the birth of our Coaching Tools.”

EXPANDING THE PLAYING FIELD Related to its Coaching Tools, XOS’s Facilities Design and Integration program outfits a team with fully interfaced video rooms, satellite dishes, receivers, recording systems, data storage, inter-office connectivity, interactive video, remote cameras and XOS Smart Board telestrator technology. All while utilizing the space that’s available as efficiently as possible.

Its newest programs are Network Online Fan Management and Total Ticketing.

“The ticketing platform is the first comprehensive, fully integrated, totally Web-based ticketing and donor management solution for sports organizations,” says Director of Marketing Jay Moore.

The company’s fastest-growing development, however, is its Online Fan Management, which allows any college, university, conference, league or team to completely control all aspects of its online activity.

“It provides a complete backend that allows the user to configure his Web site as desired, including options such as public or subscription services, streaming video of games or interviews, merchandise sales, online auctions, e-mail marketing, team statistics and more,” says Moore.

This program, along with the other three services, has generated hundreds of clients from the NCAA alone, including area teams like the University of Florida.

“It basically allows them to keep up their fan base, no matter where they

are, and bring them all the information they want.”

One additional program developed

by XOS is the instant replay system adopted by the Big 12 and Pac 10 conferences in NCAA football.

“It’s basically a very sophisticated version of a TiVo device with two screens — one shows the network broadcast of the game, while the other shows additional camera views,” says Moore. “It’s actually far more advanced than what is currently used by the NFL.”

HOME TEAM ADVANTAGE Whether you want to call it a touchdown, goal, basket or home run, XOS is scoring. The company has nearly doubled in size every year since its inception and now provides services for more than 680 clients, including nearly every professional football, hockey, basketball and baseball team, several college football conferences and quite a few leagues.

As for hometown spirit, while some professional sports leagues may consider Central Florida a secondary market, Aton, who has lived here since his teens, feels the area is the prime location for XOS. “Not only do I consider the area home and a great place to raise a family, but with the access the airport provides and the number of qualified programmers I have found locally, I believe Central Florida to be the best location I can think of,” says Aton.

In reviewing XOS’s winning game, Aton says he “never imagined this business would grow as large as it has.”

His playbook, however, says it all. x

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Charting

By Steve Blount

SUCCESS

WINTER PARK-BASED FULL SAIL IS A MAJOR PORT FOR THOSE SETTING SAIL FOR ‘NEW MEDIA’ PROFESSIONS.

>>

Ambitious techies with sights set on making the A-list say Orlando is a must-stop on their journey to success. Why? Central Florida has something rare and valuable: one of the top “new media” schools in the country, turning out star programmers, renderers and designers. Since Full Sail opened its doors in 1979, many of its 20,000 graduates have gone on to work at the highest levels of filmmaking, music, entertainment and — more recently — video game development and virtual reality simulation.

To prove the point, Tammy Gilbert, vice president and director of Career Development at Full Sail, recites some impressive stats: Full Sail graduates have worked on the Grammy-winning album-of-theyear 12 out of the last 12 years; the top-grossing U.S. music tours in each of the past five years (Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2 and Tina Turner); two Oscar-nominated films in 2005 (I, ROBOT and The Incredibles); and dozens of industry-leading video games, including EA Games’ Madden NFL Football series.

Other graduates work for Central Florida’s defense contractors, including Harris Corporation. Their accomplishments are even more technically advanced, but also a lot less public.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FULL SAIL

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Tony Sakson, a recent Computer Animation graduate, is a 3-D renderer at Harris working on nautical simulation models for the federal government. He says Full Sail’s approach is anything but traditional.

“I was a [print] advertising production manager in Atlantic City and had been studying animation, but realized I couldn’t do it on my own,” he says. “I researched schools across the country.

Full Sail offered a diverse computer animation program in an intense, technical and dynamic environment — I got more hands-on computer lab time than most people get attending a traditional four-year school.”

An accredited, degree-granting college, Full Sail offers accelerated associate’s and bachelor’s programs in computer animation, digital arts & design, and game design & development, along with its film, entertainment business and music production degrees.

The programs have not gone unrecognized. Rolling Stone magazine named Full Sail one of the country’s five best music programs, along with the University of Southern California, Berklee College of Music, Oberlin College and The Julliard School. And, Electronic Gaming ranked Full Sail among the five best “new media” schools, while Shift magazine put it at number three — right behind New York University and MIT. How did a private school in Central Florida become a media and technology powerhouse? By design, of course.

“Students go to school here on a professional basis, attending classes eight to ten hours daily,” Gilbert explains. “And the school runs [twentyfour/seven], enabling students to finish an associate’s degree in twelve months and a bachelor’s in twenty-one.”

The technology students use is impressive, too — exactly what they’ll encounter when they walk onto a professional film set or into a black lab at a defense contractor. In addition to full-scale recording studios and film stages, the 91-acre campus has room after room filled with high-end computers. To walk into a lab stocked

"WHEN I MET DAVE ARNESON [FULL SAIL COURSE DIRECTOR AND COCREATOR OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS], THAT WAS HUGE. IT WAS LIKE MEETING MICHAEL JORDAN. I THOUGHT, 'WOW, HE'S JUST A REGULAR [GUY].' IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD DO IT, TOO." — MIGUEL MOLINARI, FULL SAIL GRAD & DESIGNER AT ELECTRONIC ARTS TIBURON

full with 80 Mac G5s, along with HewlettPackard x4000s and x8000s, and realize it’s just one of 11 similarly equipped labs, explains how Sakson got so much seat time in less than two years.

SWIMMING WITH TALENT While the entertainment industry has known about Full Sail for years, players in Central Florida’s booming high tech industry are believers, too.

Don Quitter moved to Orlando from Silicon Valley in 2004 to launch Commercial Training Solutions (CTS), a company that provides training simulation solutions to the mining, drilling and construction industries. He’s capitalized on the talent attracted by Orlando’s world-leading visual simulation industry.

A number of Quitter’s workers came from Full Sail’s video game development program. They create virtual reality solutions that train workers about the equipment and procedures they’ll use in high-risk jobs like drilling and mining.

class work is an enormous benefit to students.

“When I met Dave Arneson [Full Sail course director and co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons], that was huge,” notes Miguel Molinari. “It was like meeting Michael Jordan. I thought, ‘Wow, he’s just a regular [guy].’ It made me feel like I could do it, too.”

And Molinari has done it. After graduating from Full Sail in 1999, he went on to Electronic Arts Tiburon, the Orlando design studio for EA Games.

Molinari worked on the interfaces for Madden NFL 2002-2004, and moved up to interface designer for the 2005 and 2006 versions of the industry-leading game and cultural phenomenon.

The demands of the outside world came as no surprise to Molinari.

“I graduated knowing exactly what to expect at a gaming company. The program provides training in all aspects of game design — developing story, characters, levels, intensive C++ programming, asset management (art,

“WE’RE FOCUSED ON COMMERCIALIZING THE [TRAINING SIMULATION] TECHNOLOGY, AND I SEE ORLANDO PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN THAT. I COULDN’T HAVE STARTED AND GROWN THIS COMPANY IN SILICON VALLEY. FULL SAIL AND OTHERS HAVE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE I CAN HAVE PERSONNEL READILY AVAILABLE.” — DON QUITTER, COMMERCIAL TRAINING SOLUTIONS

“We’re focused on commercializing the technology, and I see Orlando playing a major role in that,” he says.

“I couldn’t have started and grown this company in Silicon Valley. Full Sail and others have created an environment where I can have personnel readily available.”

Those personnel include Full Sail’s faculty, because the school encourages its teachers to stay on the cutting edge.

“We want our instructors to stay current,” Gilbert emphasizes. “We make it possible for them to keep working in the industry.”

The synergy between real work and

music, packaging) and an eight-week final project to assemble a working game prototype.”

Molinari isn’t alone: most recently, six Full Sail alumni — five programmers and an artist — worked on the recently released Quake IV. And three more — two gameplay programmers and a sound programmer — are among the crew behind Insomniacs popular video game Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal.

These are just a few of those A-listseeking techies who navigated their journey successfully. Thanks in no small x part to Full Sail.

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Illustrations by Frank J. Quinones

ENERGIZING A SCIENCE, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT UNITE

By Rafaela Ellis

ALTERNATIVES TO FUEL CENTRAL FLORIDA’S ENERGY FUTURE.

>>

America circa 2025 won’t be much different than America today, at least in one crucial respect: our quality of life will largely depend upon the vehicles, electronics and climatecontrol systems that help us survive in this high-tech, gotta-get-there-fast environment.

However, the choices we make today about how we’ll fuel these future necessities will have a huge impact on the rest of the picture: Will the air choke with smog above the gridlock while, just off exit ramps, cars encircle gas stations, waiting hours to pay hundreds of dollars per tank? Or will the interstate flow with economical hybrids and fuelcell vehicles — both private and public — while sunshine is captured to cleanly power our homes and businesses?

“The question is, are we willing to make an investment today so we don’t have to pay six dollars a gallon in the future for foreign fuel,” says James Fenton, director of the Florida Solar

seek cost-effective photovoltaic panels and hydrogen fuel cells, Progress Energy is testing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles driven by its energy efficiency counselors performing home and business energy audits, and Gov. Jeb Bush has put the force of his office behind Florida’s “Hydrogen Highway,” a public-private partnership that recently broke ground in Orlando on the state’s first hydrogen fueling station.

“Our greatest need is to ensure enough supply to the state as it continues to grow,” says Allan F. Bedwell, deputy secretary for regulatory programs and energy at the Florida Department of Environmental

”The question is, are we willing to make an investment today so we don’t have to pay six dollars a gallon in the future for foreign fuel. The technology is there to make the fuel in Florida; it’s the cost that holds us back.”

— James Fenton, Florida Solar Energy Center

Energy Center (FSEC) at the University of Central Florida. “The technology is there to make the fuel in Florida; it’s the cost that holds us back.”

And so, once again, it comes down to dollars — and sense. We can continue importing foreign oil and building coal-fired power plants, spending billions and damaging our fragile environment in the process, or we can support — through both personal choices and precious dollars — alternative energy sources that will be cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable in the long run.

Ultimately, experts agree, the public will decide which energy scenario our future holds. That’s why a coalition of Central Florida research entities, energy companies and governmental agencies is working to make sound choices more obvious. While Fenton and his team

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Protection. “Alternative fuels are going to play an increasingly sizable role.”

And already, Central Florida is playing a sizable role in investigating and promoting these essential alternatives.

RENEWABLE RESEARCH As director of FSEC, Jim Fenton leads research into three alternative energy sources: solar-thermal, photovoltaic and hydrogen fuels. But ask him about this country’s search for renewable resources, and he’ll give you a story about grocery bags.

“When you go to the grocery store, they ask you, ‘Paper or plastic?’”

Fenton explains, “and people always have answers.”

Although most believe paper bags are better for the environment, Fenton

notes that plastic bags actually create less net pollution because “the biggest impact on the environment is that it takes five trucks to haul the same amount of paper bags as [fit into] one truck of plastic bags.”

And his point would be?

“You have to look at the total environmental impact of every decision.

That’s what counts,” he says.

Take the humble water heater, for example. Right now, most Floridians use 17 percent of their home electricity, at an average of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, to heat water. Although the cost of heating water with solar-thermal technology is about 8 cents per kwh, few people choose the money-saving option because the price of a solar water heater is currently as much as 10 times that of a traditional gas or electric device.

In the long term, Fenton says, the solar unit actually will save the homeowner money. It also will decrease the amount of imported coal or natural gas used to generate the electricity that powers an electric water heater. And by taking advantage of a native Florida fuel, it also will advance the goal of energy independence for the state, which now must build a new power plant every two years just to keep up with the demand caused by growth.

“To me, the no-brainer is you definitely want to take advantage of the sun,” he says. “The bottom line is everybody in Florida ought to have a solar hot water heater on their roof.”

Fenton makes the same argument when discussing alternatives to the gasoline-powered automotive engine.

“A hybrid vehicle costs roughly $5,000 more than a non-hybrid, but it uses less gasoline, so there’s a tradeoff,” he says.

All of which brings Fenton back to his life’s work — researching ways to produce and store alternative fuels that can power vehicles, homes and businesses — and, in the process, finding solutions to the prohibitive costs that have steered business, government and consumers away from investing in these technologies.

Using some $12 million each year in grants, mostly from the federal govern-

ment, FSEC’s various research arms are mapping a promising energy future.

The Center’s solar-thermal research arm tests and certifies solar collection systems and provides information on how to use solar-thermal technology to heat water and indoor spaces. FSEC’s photovoltaic (PV) researchers use silicon cells to convert sunshine into direct current (DC) electricity — the kind that can power motors and batteries.

They’re working to develop power conversion equipment that can produce alternating current (AC), which can interconnect to the utility grid and fuel any device that runs on conventional electricity. Its hydrogen fuel cell research has become nationally recognized for advancing hydrogen storage and production techniques.

Additionally, its building energy efficiency research program has led to energy code and standards improvements that are saving Florida residents more than $100 million annually in energy costs.

Fenton says PV technology will be available — and cost effective — in the not-so-distant future, especially as the cost of electricity rises with the price of the fossil fuel used to generate it.

“You’re going to find that fossil fuels are going up and up [in price], while photovoltaic costs have been coming down, so the intersection point is much sooner than we thought it would be,” he says.

“Instead of saying we’re going to build coal power plants in the next ten years, maybe we should be putting photovoltaics on our roofs instead.”

To hasten that eventuality, FSEC has partnered with Progress Energy and the Department of Environmental Protection to test photovoltaic panels through a program called SunSmart Florida. So far, 29 Florida public schools have been fitted with the roof-top PV cells, and FSEC has placed PV cells on flatbed

Alternative-Energy Primer The future of fuel lies in three important technologies: photovoltaic (PV) cells, solarthermal energy conversion, and hydrogen fuel cells.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells: These thin silicon panels, mounted on roof tops or on mobile units such as trucks, convert solar energy into direct current electricity by extracting current from light-stimulated electrons. Soon, experts expect such cells to become affordable enough for home use — although consumers will still need conventional electric power for extended time periods when the sun isn’t shining.

Solar-thermal conversion: Already in wide use, this technology uses the sun’s heat — gathered through solar collectors placed on rooftops or other sun-intensive surfaces — to generate hot water for home use or to heat the swimming pool.

Hydrogen fuel cells: Inside these fuel cells, hydrogen is split into protons and electrons. The protons pass through a plastic-like membrane that blocks the electrons, which then form an electrical current that travels through a circuit to power motors or other devices.

trailers that can be moved to supply power to places hit by hurricanes or other power-supply interruptions.

Fenton expects the cost of PV panels to decrease enough in the next three to five years that, when coupled with renewable energy credits available to consumers, their price will be almost identical to conventional power systems.

And then there’s the Center’s hydrogen research, which has generated a lot of buzz and no end of debate. While Fenton admits that affordable, efficient hydrogen power is years away, his 40 research faculty members already have

received eight U.S. patents for hydrogen processes or devices, including a technique for separating oxygen and hydrogen from air, a portable hydrogen generatorfuel cell apparatus, and a method of extracting both hydrogen and carbon from hydrocarbons without producing carbon dioxide.

The nut that remains to be cracked is how to store hydrogen for energy use.

“You can use an internal combustion vehicle and run it off hydrogen, and that wouldn’t be much more expensive than what we’re doing now,” he says. “But we still have a storage problem.”

The amount of hydrogen needed to fuel a car or other device requires either a huge tank, he says, or one sturdy enough to hold a load of heavy, pressurized hydrogen.

“Some good things are moving along in that regard,” he says, and once again Central Florida is on the cutting edge.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY At Progress Energy’s Operations Center near Oviedo, hydrogen-powered vehicles are more than the wave of the future; they’re a very present reality.

Partnering with Ford Motor Company, the petroleum giant BP, and both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Department

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of Energy, Progress is currently fieldtesting two hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and preparing to build a fueling station.

“Orlando was selected as one of three places in the country that would be piloting these vehicles, because Florida is positioned to be a leader in this technology,” says John Masiello, Progress Energy’s manager of demandside management and alternative energy strategy. “We were positioned properly because of what we already have here — our universities, colleges and high tech industry — working on hydrogen.”

The modified Ford Focus models — only 30 of which have been manufactured worldwide — cost about one million each, an expense shared by Ford and the DOE. “Research is necessary and comes at an expense,” Masiello says, “but it looks promising. We’ve been talking about fuel cells for many years, but this is the first time I can actually tell you that we have the vehicles.”

While he concedes that hydrogen storage, manufacturing and infrastructure costs remain to be conquered, he says, “These are things that we can do.

It’s just a matter of time, as we continue the research.”

Dividends are already being seen at another Progress Energy hydrogen project, a sustainable hydrogen generating facility at Florida’s Homosassa Springs State Park. Using electrolysis, PV panels mounted on the park’s educational pavilion collect sunlight, which is turned into electrical energy. Hydrogen is then extracted from this energy and run through a fuel cell, which in turn powers the pavilion.

“This may seem circular — using solar energy to make hydrogen to put in a fuel cell to make electricity,” Masiello says. “But hydrogen is an energy carrier, so storing hydrogen from solar or other renewables has potential. The project at Homosassa could make hydrogen during off-peak electric time and then use the hydrogen during peak demand periods, thus maximizing existing generation and improving efficiency.”

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Masiello says the project also has the potential to solve another piece of the hydrogen fuel puzzle: how to process the element from renewable sources rather than fossil fuels.

“Right now, you can reform gas and take hydrogen out of it, but if you’re

gen fueling station just as you would pull up to the gas station.”

H2 FLORIDA

Central Florida will get a foretaste of that storied day in late 2006, when the state’s first hydrogen energy station opens near Orlando International Airport.

Solar-thermal conversion The project is the cornerstone of Governor Jeb Bush’s H2 Florida program, an energy initiative designed to promote hydrogen technology through financial incentives, demonstration projects and market expansion efforts.

“Being able to generate energy from within our state boundaries is important,” says Allan Bedwell of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, a partner in the project. “And making sure the energy we generate is clean is important, because Florida is one of using gas to make hydrogen, you’re only three states east of the Mississippi back where you started,” he says. that meets federal clean-air standards.”

Progress and others are also keepBecause hydrogen fuel cells emit only ing an eye on alter native energy water, not exhaust, using hydrogen to research, such as converting biomass — fuel formerly gas-guzzling vehicles that is, plant materials and agricultural can help dramatically reduce air polluwaste — into alternative fuels. tion while providing sustainable, renewable energy to increase fuel independence.

Photovoltaic (PV) cell The airport hydrogen station — whose funding partners include ChevronTexaco, Ford Motor Company and Progress Energy — will be used to fuel buses that take travelers from the airport to Central Florida’s popular hotels and tourist attractions. Concurrent studies will measure the vehicles’ costs and efficiency, as well as the costs and production capacity of the hydrogen station itself.

“Ultimately, Florida’s fuel supply depends on worldwide supply and demand,” says Bedwell. “On the transportation side, we consume over eight “There are obstacles to overcome, billion gallons of gasoline and diesel but it looks promising,” Masiello says. fuel a year, and that is growing by 300 “It will take time, but hopefully, the day million gallons a year.” will come when you pull up to a hydroAny measure to reduce those stag-

gering numbers must be seized before the oil prices increase as a result of worldwide demand for petroleum, he says.

“I’d say we’re about fifteen years from having hydrogen vehicles you can drive off the showroom floor and be affordable,” Bedwell says.

When that day comes, he expects the state’s new hydrogen fueling station to have competition from other hydrogen stations, many located at the same gas stations that now dispense fossil fuels.

“You’ll see gas stations carrying hydrogen in another ten to fifteen years or so,” he says, “to where you’ll have an effective network of hydrogen stations for everyone to use.”

And hydrogen is only one of the alternatives state and local governments and their agencies are exploring.

The Central Florida Regional Transit Authority already uses compressed natural gas to run Orlando’s free downtown LYNX Lymmo bus service, and the Authority is investigating hybrid, electric and other alternative fuel vehicles

for future bus routes. MV Transportation, which operates buses for Orlando International Airport shuttle service, currently is testing hydrogen fuel vehicles under the H2 Florida program, and the bus system’s managers are carefully monitoring the program’s progress and potential, says Brian Martin, LYNX’s director of media relations.

“We’ll study what they learn and how it works for them, to see if it’s more difficult or costlier to refuel these vehicles,” he says.

Meanwhile, LYNX is pricing out the cost of replacing its aging fleet of company cars, with hybrid vehicles that save gas and, hopefully, taxpayer money.

“There are a lot of options out there,” Martin says. “We’ll make our decision based on [initial vehicle] price and the cost of maintenance.”

THE POWER OF ONE In the end, all parties agree that the most critical factors in our nation’s fuel future

are the everyday decisions made by individual consumers. They contend that, while government can reduce regulatory barriers to research and provide consumers with money-saving energy credits, and while corporations and research entities can test experimental fuels and patent new technologies, it’s up to each of us to monitor our energy use and to speak up for solutions to the current energy crunch.

“The most important thing people can do is to reach out to the companies that provide them with services and products and let them know that this is important,” says the DEP’s Bedwell.

“They can reach out to their legislators and be active consumers, get educated about these issues, and make decisions about what they think is important.”

Those decisions include ponying up for energy alternatives — and urging legislators to do the same.

“By making expensive decisions now,” says FSEC’s Fenton, “we may solve a lot of other problems later.” x

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SOLVING THE

PUZZLE THE UCF TECH INCUBATOR HELPS START-UPS PIECE TOGETHER THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PUZZLE.

By Trent Flood

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Walk into any toy store in America, go to the games aisle and pick up one of the many puzzle boxes you find there. Now, open it and dump the pieces the floor. The mess you are now looking at is an accurate representation of what entrepreneurs face when starting a business. The challenge: take all of those pieces and turn them into a picture of success.

In Metro Orlando, technology entrepreneurs don’t have to face this challenge alone, thanks to the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Technology Incubator.

Opened in October 1999, the Incubator is a perfect example of a university-led community partnership that is making a big economic impact.

That partnership includes UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, and the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Additionally, there are dozens of professional service providers and experienced entrepreneurs that contribute significantly to the services and resources necessary to this program.

“Good entrepreneurs know that starting a business takes a strong resolve and recognition that you don’t know everything,” says Tom O’Neal, chief executive officer for the UCF Technology Incubator. “Just having a good idea isn’t enough. You need a solid business plan, access to capital, legal and accounting assistance. Thanks to the extensive support we have from our community partners and the University, we can help companies through all of this, which leads to a much higher survival rate for these small businesses.”

While this idea isn’t new, the tremendous success of the Orlando facility, located in the Central Florida Research Park, is impressive. Since opening, the Incubator has grown to more than 62,000 square feet of space, with 48 current clients, 14 graduates, and recognition by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) as the 2004 Incubator of the Year. One of the Incubator’s clients, Cognoscenti Health Institute, was also named NBIA’s 2004 Technology Incubator Client of the Year.

Not bad for a “start-up.”

However, O’Neal thinks the Incubator’s success should really be measured through the success of its client companies and the resulting 630 new jobs earning average wages of nearly $61,000. Here are a few examples that highlight how the UCF Technology Incubator is helping entrepreneurs sort out their business puzzles.

A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH In 1999, UCF industrial engineering professor Dr. Mansooreh Mollaghasemi was given a grant by NASA to evaluate how it processes a space shuttle from start-up to launch. Using historical data, Mollaghasemi built a software system that spit out results almost perfectly in line with how past shuttle ground operations had actually occurred.

That project led Mollaghasemi to consider other uses for her modeling software. It also led to her commercialization of that technology and establishment of a new company, Productivity Apex, Inc. (www.productivityapex.com). After going it on her own for a couple of years, Mollaghasemi recognizes that she could use some help from the UCF Technology Incubator to take her company to the next level.

“The Incubator has provided us with assistance in two main areas,” says Mollaghasemi. “First, it has provided us with connections to people who are important to the growth of our business.

Second, it has helped us gain legitimacy as a company, due to its reputation in the community and at the University.”

That growing reputation has led to

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some very interesting projects for Productivity Apex, including work with the Department of Transportation, Orlando International Airport, Duracell, Lockheed and Siemens Westinghouse. In fact, the company’s modeling software has proven that it can be adapted to any number of complex systems, assisting in their optimization.

This work can seem complicated, but if you ask Mollaghasemi it’s all pretty straightforward: “As an engineer, I want to solve problems.”

The Incubator is helping her and her company to do just that.

IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT Imagine that you are a leading IT vendor working with a CIO who can’t get budget approval for a project you both believe to be worthwhile. A daunting task for almost any technology executive — until now.

Incubator alumna Alinean (www.alinean.com) has developed research and analysis products that quantify the cost-benefits of IT projects, and measure the value of these investments. Their tools have been custom developed for most IT solutions, including servers, operating systems, security, database management, business intelligence, content and document management, asset management and office automation.

Packard, IBM, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Citigroup and FedEx among its many clients. The future is certainly bright for this company, which graduated from the Incubator two years ago.

Bill Johnston, the company’s president, puts it this way: “Alinean has established a reputation as the IT Business Value Selling Expert. Our growth plans are robust, and we’ll continue to evolve in response to our customers’ needs.”

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE Sometimes a bad situation can turn into a great new opportunity. This was certainly true for two former employees of Agere Systems’ Orlando office, who lost their jobs due to the company’s business realignment plans.

Brenda Prenitzer and Jennifer McKinley had worked at Agere for several years, and had gained tremendous experience with microanalysis.

When Agere announced the closure of its Orlando plant, these two scientists got together and began considering plans for a new company based on prior experiences and their relationship with UCF. In January 2003, these plans came together in the form of NanoSpective (www.nanospective.com), an Incubator client company that evaluates the atomic structure and composition of materials. This high-tech work has led

“The Incubator is a center of gravity — attracting an ecosystem of functions required to support a small business.”

— Martin Suter, Cohda Wireless

“The Incubator’s role was invaluable to Alinean’s inception and initial growth,” says Tom Pisello, a long-time Orlando entrepreneur and company founder. “By providing us with the freedom to focus on securing clients, without the pressure of managing facilities and infrastructure, and raising outside capital, the company was allowed to mature far more quickly than would have been [otherwise] possible.”

Today, Alinean counts Hewlett

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down an interesting path.

“When I was working at Agere, I had to deal with a legal case related to intellectual property,” says Prenitzer.

“Companies like Agere have lots of revenue at stake in these kinds of situations, and we recognized the potential of using microscopes in the legal process. This allows most cases to settle out of court because they have proof in hand. We give them the ‘smoking gun’.”

The Incubator has played a critical role in both assisting with the formation of the company and with helping Prenitzer, McKinley and their two other founding partners work out the details of an agreement with UCF to use their Materials Characterization Lab. Prenitzer adds, “Part of marketing is perception, and our ability to have a Central Florida Research Park address is of tremendous value. The Incubator has also helped us with strategic planning, helped us analyze strategic alliances, and provided networking opportunities.”

MAKING THE CONNECTION Lay over in any major airport in the country and you will quickly realize how important wireless connectivity has become to the U.S. population.

Unfortunately, today’s WiFi and WiMAX standards do not address the harshest radio frequency (RF) environments, such as providing broadband connection to a moving vehicle.

That is the niche that Australian-firm Cohda Wireless (www.cohdawireless.com) is looking to fill. First developed at the Institute for Telecommunications Research at the University of South Australia, Cohda’s technology is especially relevant to first responders. Recognition of that fact led the company to consider the North American market, where municipalities have some of the largest public safety budgets in the world.

Enter Orlando technology executive Martin Suter, who had recently left Maitland-based MeshNetworks, Inc., which was acquired by Motorola. Suter wanted to start a new venture in Metro Orlando and found Cohda while doing research on the Internet. It was a match made in heaven. Cohda Wireless opened its first U.S. office in the UCF Incubator last fall.

When asked why he chose to open Cohda in the Incubator, Suter says, “The Incubator is a center of gravity — attracting an ecosystem of functions required to support a small business. If we opened this office in the Orlando market without their assistance, it would take considerable more time and effort to make this company a success.” x

THE LEARNING A PIONEER IN SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY, THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS CREATING NEW HIGH-TECH LEARNING TOOLS TO BENEFIT CREATIVE-MINDED COMMUNITIES.

GAME

By Jessica Chapman

After decades of trying to convince parents that video games are actually good for you, kids everywhere have finally won a victory in the war between entertainment and education. A group of professors at University of Central Florida (UCF) has been working to combine the two by devising hands-on, gaming-style learning tools from which people of all ages and occupations, especially students, can benefit.

>>

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The Center for Research in Education, Art, Technology and Entertainment (CREATE), falls within the framework of UCF’s School of Film and Digital Media.

An interdisciplinary resource center for people working to develop interactive programs for schools, colleges and other areas of the community, it’s made up of about 35 researchers from a variety of departments, including theater, digital media, film, engineering, education, psychology and computer science.

Funding is provided in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Orange County and the State of Florida.

this project can be utilized time and again, and with just about any backdrop.

But CREATE projects aren’t just geared toward youngsters. Thanks to a new grant from the NSF, the center will be developing a multi-player game to teach physics to high-school and college students. At UCF, many firstyear physics majors lose interest as they run into difficult topics and decide to drop out of the program. In this simulation-based video game, participants play as space aliens who don’t know anything about Earth. They

“I’ve been saying for years that we’re uniquely qualified to do this work in Central Florida.

You’ve got people who are creative, as well as great educators and engineers. There’s no other place in the country that has the mix of talent that we have right here.”

— Jan Cannon-Bowers, CREATE

One of the leading tools embraced

by CREATE is simulation technology, which is used to mimic a real process and mock up a real situation. For example, the group has devised a virtual field trip that’s soon to be tested in elementary schools. The kids take a “tour” of a virtual world that’s been constructed to help them better understand the meaning of individual words and phrases in order to improve their overall reading comprehension abilities.

“We’re all interested in how technology is involved in learning,” says Traci Yeager, the program coordinator.

Jan Cannon-Bowers, an associate professor in the School of Film and Digital Media, adds, “Kids think ‘ranch’ is a salad dressing.”

She feels that continuing to build 3-D worlds that children can actually experience will help them learn more quickly and easily, eventually increasing interest and improving test scores. In this particular case, a nature walk theme was used to illustrate animals and other things you encounter outdoors. Since the prototypes are already designed,

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meet Aristotle and other prominent historical figures who provide clues to advance to the next level — and help them learn and apply physics.

“It’s a hook, it grabs attention,” says Yeager.

LEARNING ACROSS THE BOARD Several years ago, UCF’s School of Film and Digital Media, and the University’s Institute for Simulation and Training (IST), collaborated in creating the Media Convergence Lab (MCL). The Lab’s major emphasis has been evaluating how entertainment can aid learning.

“MCL research has shown that people learn better when information is

presented in an entertaining way,” says Randall Williams, IST’s assistant director of Information Services. “They like to call it ‘creating lasting memories’.”

IST scientists have studied modeling and simulation since 1985. A major client for its sim research, the United States’ Department of Defense (DoD) — including all four branches of the military — has recently begun to take a hard look at entertainment and education.

“The DoD has a great need for simulation research and a considerable budget for training,” Williams says.

The government encourages new developments and typically offers material that anyone can access and use.

There’s some proprietary information, but most of it transfers to the private sector. That’s important to IST, which is always trying to diversify its clientele and is committed to contributing this high-tech science to as many places within the community as possible.

“It’s always been a goal of ours to develop simulation technology that can be used for other purposes,” Williams explains. “Programs used for training soldiers can be modified to train employees.”

Cannon-Bowers, who is also a research associate at IST and a former senior scientist for the Navy, agrees and offers similar ideas: “We could use the virtual environment to look at how diseases spread, and use the same program for hurricane preparedness.”

Depending on active contracts, IST is capable of accommodating 100 to 150 people on site, including about 80 faculty members.

“We collaborate very closely with other UCF units on projects,” says

Williams. “Many of our faculty members are jointly appointed.”

IT’S ALL IN THE MIND

COURTESY OF DESTINEER STUDIOS

The connection with the Psychology Department is one of the most important since human behavior factors into a great deal of the research.

The Institute offers numerous internships and has about 50 college students working there each semester. Interns are drawn from a variety of disciplines, and can earn a master’s and Ph.D. degree in Modeling & Simulation — multidisciplinary degrees are available through the Digital Media, Math, Computer Science, Psychology, Business and Engineering departments. Student interns “work right alongside our researchers on real projects,” Williams states. After finishing a few semesters at IST, the best students often jump right into full-time, well-paying jobs.

Not only are simulation technology programs very rare in the state and elsewhere in the country, but games researchers are even more rare.

“We’re among a few universities that have started to do this kind of stuff,” says Cannon-Bowers. “There’s a lot of talk, but very little serious research going on.

“I’ve been saying for years that we’re uniquely qualified to do this work in Central Florida,” she says. “You’ve got people who are creative, as well as great educators and engineers. There’s no other place in the country that has the mix of talent that we have right here.” x

War Games The U.S. military has used mechanical simulations for decades, but those that are electronic or digital are a recent addition, and are quickly getting more realistic, more intricate and more popular as training tools.

“The Marine Corps has been using software simulation programs for at least ten years,” says Col. Walter H. Augustin, the program manager for Training Systems at Marine Corps Systems Command. “Since then, we’ve used a variety of software tools and platforms to conduct our training. ...

My unit here in Orlando actively participates in the development and acquisition of both types of simulation systems.”

One of the newest examples, a team-based, first-shooter sim program and video game Close Combat: First to Fight, is a collaborative project between the Marine Corps and Minnesota-based Destineer Studios (publisher of Halo) that yielded both a Marine training tool and a game that’s available to the public.

“Critical to the success of both versions was our subject matter expertise in the form of forty Marine combat veterans who had recently come out of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,”explains Col. Augustin. “These Marines spent weeks in the studio with the respective software engineers, artists and game developers to ensure that Marine tactics, techniques and procedures were accurately represented in the game. ...The purpose of this, of course, was to instill a high level of realism and accuracy in the final product.”

The result of the combined efforts of these teams, made up of experts in their respective fields, is a highly sophisticated replication of a day in the life of a deployed Marine.

Col. Augustin explains: “The Close Combat: First to Fight sim program is very relevant to what our troops now face in Iraq. This is a versatile program, and can be used in a formal classroom setting, or by individual Marines working on their own ...The Marine version of the software allows up to sixteen simultaneous participants, and covers twenty different basic combat scenarios — which can be further customized into an unlimited number of situations. Participants can also be organized into a variety of fighting teams.”

And while this may sound like a project that’s better suited for Silicon Valley or King County in Washington State, Florida is proving to be strong competition for these technological hot spots as it’s quickly developing its own reputation in the industry.

While the Marine Corps has been in the Orlando area since the early ‘70s, it wasn’t until January of 2001 that Training Systems at Marine Corps Systems Command was established.

“The Marine Corps recognized the need for a significant investment in leading-edge technologies in the modeling and simulation field, “ says Col. Augustin. “And as far as we were concerned, there was only one place for that investment — and that was Orlando and, specifically, the Central Florida Research Park. Frankly, it’s the perfect environment for that mission. The wealth of talent and capability among the private sector companies that do business in Orlando and the rest of Florida’s ‘high-tech corridor’ is a critical resource for us as we strive to make ever-more-effective and efficient training systems for our service men and women.”

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x

innovation alley

IS HERE

The Future

TWO CENTRAL FLORIDA COMPANIES ARE MAKING BIOMETRICS AND TELEHEALTH AN EVERYDAY REALITY.

>>

Thanks to Central Florida’s fertile high tech sector, innovation is the seed that grows many local companies.

Sequiam Corporation and Cnow, Inc., are but two such companies involved in bringing us into the future with innovative technologies that were fantasies of Hollywood sci-fi movies only a few years ago.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEQUIAM

By Steve Blount and Mark Onusko

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FINGERPRINT FOR SUCCESS If Nick VandenBrekel isn’t at your front door yet, he will be soon. VadenBrekel is president of Orlando-based Sequiam Corporation, a major player in biometric security. When Harrison Ford used an iris scanner to identify human clones in the 1982 film Blade Runner, the idea of scanning an eye or a fingertip to verify identity was far fetched.

That was then.

Now several laptop computers use biometric scanners instead of passwords and early this year you’ll be able to buy a Sequiam-designed biometric lock for your front door at the local hardware store for about $129. No key, no combination. Just swipe your finger over the sensor and you’re in.

A partnership between Sequiam and lock company Kwikset, a division of Black & Decker, will put biometric security — once the province of Homeland Security applications — literally in the hands of the average consumer.

“We think about it not just from the security standpoint, but also about convenience,” VandenBrekel emphasizes.

“Think about not having to carry keys. At some point in the near future most, if not all, of human transactional behavior will be authenticated through biology.”

Sequiam is not only on the ground floor of a growing industry that’s projected to reach $8 billion by 2009, it built a big piece of that floor.

While its talent is largely homegrown, the company’s reach extends far beyond the Metro Orlando area. In addition to the 30 employees at its headquarters near Orlando International Airport, where it does its microchip design and software, Sequiam has offices scattered across the United States and the globe — Houston, Washington, D.C., Beijing, Brussels, Cape Town — and it recently partnered with Henyue Manufacturing in Guangzhou, China.

Sequiam has aggressively sought partners in Central Florida. The massive developer Unicorp, also headquartered in Orlando, will be using Sequiam’s biometric security for at least one development. The World’s Fair for Kids,

which will be held annually at the Orange County Convention Center beginning in April of this year, is using security hardware provided by Sequiam.

And Sequiam buys its fingerprint sensors from AuthenTec of nearby Melbourne, Fla. For VandenBrekel, the future for his company and the area is Cnow’s System Architect Tim Miller and CEO Luke Baker extremely bright: “[Five access to specialists across the specyears ago] people still looked at this city trum of care.” as a tourist haven, giving it very little A grant with the Celeste Foundation credit for its tech assets. Since then, and a partnership with the newly formed Orlando has put itself on the map.”

National Institute of Telehealth (NIT) Plus, he adds, “I’m a firm believer have allowed Cnow systems to be that you should work somewhere where installed in homes of children with autism you like to live, and I like being here.” in a pilot program that aims to establish standard practices for the telehealth industry. Families involved in the There is something going on that research spend a week at the 56-acre is connecting Metro Orlando’s Lake NIT campus in Lake County for software County to the rest of the world, literally. training, as well as to participate in the Mt. Dora-based Cnow, Inc., is condevelopment of an educational program necting people in a way that is changfor their child. After training they are ing lives. given a computer with the software, and In 2002, leaders from Carlton Palms a camera and microphone are installed Education Center, a comprehensive in their homes, connecting them to transitional education center that serves professional support around the clock. nearly 100 persons with developmental “Our focus has been in serving disabilities, conceptualized Cnow to persons with developmental disabilities explore ways of expanding its services and others with special needs who through videoconferencing technolorequire a range of services that they are gies. The result: a kind of super vide just not getting with enough frequency. conferencing system that provides This medium provides that bridge from high-definition picture clarity and full the service providers to the person’s virtual interaction with the ability to home,” says Baker. adjust volumes, and pan and zoom The security of the network is also on cameras in remote locations. Cnow’s the cutting edge, using encrypted software allows clinicians and specialvideo streams. ists located at different locations to Obviously, anyone can think of teach, aid and observe people with a number of alternative uses for techmental and behavioral challenges. nology like this.

Cnow CEO Luke Baker describes Baker, of course, recognizes the their product as, “providing support to potential. people residing in their personal “There are other applications that homes, and also to people living in could benefit tremendously, such as group homes under congregate care elderly care, juvenile justice, and arrangements, who, to this point, education applications. It also has haven’t had this type of technology tremendous potential for training and x available to them. Cnow affords them case management.”

REACHING OUT TO TOUCH SOMEONE

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the florida high tech corridor

TOUCH

The Power of

By Nancy Christianson Curry

A MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM HELPS CENTRAL FLORIDA SIM RESEARCH STEP INTO THE NEXT DIMENSION OF VIRTUAL REALITY.

>>

Anyone who’s played a video game or ridden a theme park simulator can say they’ve dabbled in virtual reality — technology that uses digital software and hardware interfaces to simulate “real world” experiences.

But in a laboratory in Orlando, they’re going beyond those types of primarily visual and auditory experiences — to a place where you’re waiting to feel the gunshot blast.

The setting is a test platform at the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Simulation & Training (IST): You’re standing on a raised platform encircled by a waist-high handrail; a fitted headpiece covers your eyes and nose; a neoprene vest and Velcro bands hold 20 quarter-sized haptic tactors (which register the sensation of touch) fitted snugly against your torso, arms and legs; and a network of wires strung with LED lights run up and down your body to allow a computer to track your movements.

Rather than the laboratory, what you’re seeing is a surreal, antiseptic-looking building. You’re a soldier on a hallway-clearing mission, working with a partner to make sure the area is free of threats.

Haptic cues are used to signal gunshots, collisions and distance

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR

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from walls. You’re cued to stay 18 inches from the walls because bullets tend to travel down them, and you’re less likely to get hit if you stay clear. You shoot at the enemy, and he fires back.

When the shot connects, it’s surprisingly mild, a gentle buzzing sensation on your chest.

“IMMERSIVE TRAINING ENABLED WITH HAPTICS CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN NON-HAPTIC TRAINING. WE MAY BE ABLE TO TRAIN MORE TASKS, AND WE MAY EVEN BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE TRAINING TIME. ...THE FHTCC GRANT IS ALLOWING THE TEAM TO INCORPORATE STATEOF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE A BETTER TEST PLATFORM FOR US.” — JENNIFER FOWLKES, PH.D., CHI

DEVELOPING TOUCH There’s much more at stake here, though, than simply dodging a virtual bullet. Researchers are recording your every move to determine whether haptic stimulation can increase the effectiveness of simulation training. The ramifications are vast. Haptics has the potential to improve countless training scenarios, from allowing surgeons to practice delicate medical procedures to assisting aviation personnel and drivers of emergency response vehicles.

Despite increasing interest in the technology, there’s been little “real world” application or rationale for including haptics in simulation training.

Nor is there an industry standard — the ostensible “black box” critical for commercializing technologies — for software that integrates virtual environments with haptic devices. That’s where the IST and CHI Systems, Inc. come in.

IST researchers are working with CHI, a small, privately owned company headquartered outside of Philadelphia that focuses on supporting people as they work with technology. Nine of its 70 employees are in Orlando, conducting research for the Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Virtual Environments and Technologies (VIRTE) project, as well as the U.S. Army’s RDECOM group.

The research is intense. IST and CHI personnel have conducted three months of data collection, often requiring 15-hour days. Typically, they run four back-to-back simulation sessions a day, five days a week, maintaining and tweaking the experimental equipment, preparing the participants and monitoring the sessions.

The prototype haptic suit CHI is developing — the Virtual Environment Stimulus Tool, or VEST — is designed for Army first responders handling a Weapons of Mass Destruction incident

and training for medical personnel. The suit, as well as a haptic glove, will be transitioned into commercial products for virtual environment training.

Today, most virtual simulations immerse participants visually, while engaging the other senses in a limited fashion.

“In order for these simulations to become more effective, they need to be more realistic,” says IST Research Associate Glenn Martin.

“The ultimate impact will be on effectiveness and efficiency,” says Jennifer Fowlkes, Ph.D., a CHI cognitive engineer. “Immersive training enabled with haptics can be more effective than non-haptic training. We may be able to train more tasks, and

WHAT IS THE FHTCC? The Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC) attracts, retains and grows high tech industry, and the workforce to support it, within the 23county Florida High Tech Corridor located in the service areas of University of Central Florida, the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. For more information

about

the

FHTCC, visit www.floridahightech.com.

we may even be able to reduce the training time.”

IST electrical engineer Todd Lazarus designed and built the VEST using commercially available sensors, but the equipment’s “brains” are in the Virtual Environment Sandbox Software (VESS) application developed by the IST. “VESS is the foundation rock upon which we build everything,” says Martin.

Ultimately, CHI hopes to turn that “rock” into an open standards subcommittee co-sponsored with UCF.

GRANTING ACCESS The UCF connection to the project was a natural, given the school’s expertise in modeling, simulation and computer science. An important piece of the equation is $60,000 in seed money provided by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s (FHTCC) matching grants research program, which is designed to stimulate entrepreneurial projects and collaboration between the industry and Corridor universities (UCF, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida). Since its inception in 1996, the grants program has funded more than 615 research projects involving 255 companies, for a total investment of more than $133 million in FHTCC and matching corporate monies.

“The FHTCC grant is allowing the team to incorporate state-of-the-art technology to create a better test platform for us,” says Fowlkes. “With earlier technology, there were limitations. The present research gives us the freedom to use more factors and to place them where we want.”

That freedom, and the improved research opportunity it represents, will ultimately “leverage a better future for real-world application of haptics,” according to Jack Ennis, software engineering team manager for CHI. “If we can create that ‘black box’, it will be the first instance of an industry standard, x and that is the first step.”

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intelligent forms of lifestyle

Cultural

By Denise Bates Enos

PURSUITS

ORLANDO BOASTS A HOST OF ARTS & CULTURE VENUES

CIRQUE DU SOLIEL’S LA NOUBA

© DISNEY

>>

Are you an independent film buff? Enjoy immersing yourself in a variety of cultures? Love live performances? Eager to experience the arts? If you answered “yes” to any or all of the above, you’re in luck: Orlando is home to a variety of creative venues. Mark your calendars and plan ahead for a culturally enriching year.

FUN UNDER THE SUN Performed only in Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort’s Downtown Disney, Cirque du Soliel’s La Nouba is a visual feast of color, light and amaz-

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ing acrobatics. The show takes its name from a French phrase, faire la nouba, which means “to party” or “to live it up.” The resulting show is a fantastic jour ney into the imagination and

through the universe of dreams both pleasant and nightmarish. www.cirquedusoleil.com 407.939.7600 • 407.599.9963

SCREEN GEMS Any time of the year, Maitland’s Enzian Theater is a great place to catch an artsy, foreign or underground flick while grabbing a bite to eat or savoring a glass of wine. The theater also hosts a variety of filmoriented festivals, showcases and special events throughout the year, including the eagerly anticipated Florida Film Festival each spring.

This year, the festival takes place March 24-April 2. During the event, more than 20,000 festival-goers will view experimental, independent and avant-garde films at several venues; directors will talk about their filmmaking vision and projects; and notable actors will make celebrity appearances.

Additional Enzian events include the quarterly Gay and Lesbian Film Series; the Young Filmmakers’ Academy, KidFest, the South Asian Film Festival and the GayOrlando Film Festival each summer; and the Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase and the Central Florida Jewish Film Festival in the fall.

HOME GROWN THEATER

>> Menopause

the Musical What started in a former perfume shop in Orlando as a tribute to the trials and tribulations of feminine middle age has become a nationwide theatrical phenomenon, with performances at major venues throughout the country. Luckily for you, you can see this hilarious musical send-up in the town where it all began: Menopause: The Musical is performed six days a week at the Orlando Science Center’s Darden Adventure Theater. www.menopausethemusical.com 407.514.2199

>> The Cabaret’s in Town Dowtown’s Mad Cow Theatre — home to Urinetown, a three-time Tony-winning musical spoof about corporate greed and ecological disaster — boasts a full roster in 2006 of comedy and drama, from cutting-edge theater to time-tested classics. Save the dates April 13 - April 30 for the third annual Orlando Cabaret Festival, which promises to be yet another talked-about Mad Cow production. Pop, jazz, contemporary and classical music will be on tap as Mad Cow morphs from theater space to musical stage. www.madcowtheatre.com • 407.297.8788

BIKE ART

Both art and motorcycle enthusiasts will feel a part of the cultural revolution when The Art of the Motorcycle rumbles into the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) from Jan. 22 - July 23, 2006. Based on the landmark exhibition that opened in 1998 at New York’s Guggenheim Museum to record crowds, The Art of the Motorcycle explores the motorcycle as both cultural icon and design achievement, and offers a thought-provoking challenge to conventional assumptions about art and popular culture in the modern age. www.enzian.org • 407.629.1088 The exhibit showcases 80 of the most significant motorcycles from 1884 to 2005, selected for technical innovation, aesthetic excellence cultural significance... and mobilFor a truly unique Orlando experience, the Orlando Internaity, speed, rebellion, desire, freedom, tional Fringe Festival is not to be missed. This crazed love, sex and danand creative conglomeration of performance art, ger. In addition, skits, plays and monologues takes place this year, it chronicles the May 19-29, at various venues in the heart of most compelling downtown and beyond. More than 500 indemoments in pendent expressions of creative license are a the evolupart of this unusual and uncensored tion of motorcultural experience. For the younger set, a specycle design and cial “Kids Fringe” is offered to introduce chilplaces these develdren to live performance. Also part of the event opments in a cultural is “Visual Fringe,” which features artworks precontext. sented by the Orlando Visual Artists’ League (OVAL).

FRINGE BENEFITS

www.orlandofringe.org • 407.648.0077

www.omart.org 407.896.4231 x

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