July 1st, 1994 - July 15th, 1994
Categories: Applications
This application enables CAVE users to view and interact with the behavior of various animats, virtual animals that exhibit behaviors similar to those of natural animals, such as predators, scavengers, or gatherers. The user interacts with the animats by giving distinct behaviors rewards or penalties that affect the life of the animats and its future generations.
The fundamental notion of the application is based on the field of Artificial Life, the study of living organisms through artificial means.
Virtual reality enhances this simulation by providing users with immediate feedback on various behaviors. Behaviors should be easily recognizable and users should be able to determine if the behaviors are similar to what is expected. The visual feedback is different from traditional text-based results.
This application was a part of VROOM - the Virtual Reality Room event showcased at SIGGRAPH 94.