BehaveRT: A GPU-based library for autonomous characters

Abstract

In this work, we present a GPU-based library, called BehaveRT, for the definition, real-time simulation, and visualization of large communities of individuals. We implemented a modular flexible and extensible architecture based on a plug-in infrastructure that enables the creation of a behavior engine system core. We used Compute Unified Device Architecture to perform parallel programming and specific memory optimization techniques to exploit the computational power of commodity graphics hardware, enabling developers to focus on the design and implementation of behavioral models. This paper illustrates the architecture of BehaveRT, the core plug-ins, and some case studies. In particular, we show two high-level behavioral models, picture and shape flocking, that generate images and shapes in 3D space by coordinating the positions and color-coding of individuals. We, then, present an environment discretization case study of the interaction of a community with generic virtual scenes such as irregular terrains and buildings. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.