Agent Editing System

The purpose of the agent editing system is to allow users of the simulation to view and modify agent properties at run time. With DIVAs we can modify properties of a specific agent such as velocity and heading, and display these properties at run-time.

The figure below shows the snapshot of a 3D visualizer developed using the DIVAs. The dialog box in the left allows users to change individual agent properties at run-time.

To display the agent modification propoerties toolbox, the user of the simulation should right click at the specified agent. A toolbox with the following agent propoerties will apear:

1. Agent ID
2. Position: A 3-coordinate (X, Y, Z) that represents the position of an agent in the environment.
3. Velocity: The speed at which an agent is moving
4. Acceleration: The current acceleration/ deceleration of an agent.
5. Heading: The heading at which an agent is directing
6. Posture: The agent animation posture, e.g., walking, running, …etc
7. Desired Speed: The speed which an agent aims to reach.
8. Speed: The current speed of the selected agent>
9. Control mode: The agent control mode. By default, it is set to “Autonomus, which means that the agent is fully autonomus and generate its movement intentions. Changing the mode to “Keyboard” allows the user to use the keyboard arrows to control the agent’s movement.
10. Agent Camera: switch the agent camera mode. In this case, we can visualize the environment from the agent’s perspective.
11. Vision: Allows the user to change agent’s vision algorithm.
12. Visisble Distance: The maximnum distance an agent can see.
13. Field of View: The angle of the agent field of view.
14. Vision Cone: Visualizes the agent’s visoin cone.
15. Hearing Enabled: Switchs the hearing sensor on and off.
16. Hearing Threshold: Sets the hearing threshold value.
17. Smell Enabled: Switchs the olfactory sensor on and off.
18. Smell Sensetivity: Sets the smell sensetivity value.

The figure bleow shows an example of an agent’s proporeties toolbox.

Through this toolbox, the user can interact with the simulation at run-time to visualize the agent’s vision cone and change a human agent field of view. This is done by checking the “Vision Cone” check box.

Also, the user can switch to Agent Camera to visulize the simulation from an agent’s perspective. This is done by checking the “Agent Camera” check box.

In addiiton to changing a single agent propoerties, the user can change the properties for a group of agents at once and visualizes these changes such as field of view. To do so, press “F10” and click on “Agent” buton at the top right corner.

To change the propoerties for a group of agents:

1. From the toolbox that apears on the right bottom corner, change agents’ properties or check/uncheck “Vision Cone”.
2. Enter the range of agents’ IDs you want to change their properites or check “All” to apply the changes for all agents in the simulation.
3. Press “Apply” and the changes will take effect.

By visualzing the vision cones and changing their propoerties, we can notice the difference immedietly after applying the changes.

To track a group of agents, type the range of agent ID’s you want to track in the specified box and press “Track”.