News: Microsoft Gets Serious About Flight Simulation

Microsoft has announced ESP, a “Visual Simulation Platform which enables the innovative use of visual simulation for immersive learning and decision-making, supports PC-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software, and enables simulations to be built faster and more cost-effectively. Simulations built on the Microsoft ESP platform will help government, commercial and academic organizations apply immersive games-based technology and interactive learning experiences to improve work-force readiness and increase operational excellence.”

This move will help Microsoft get into the professional flight simulation market. This technology tied to the hardware will help provides solutions for many companies looking to implement this technology.

According to the article Simulations built on the Microsoft ESP platform can take advantage of an extensive set of capabilities to create dynamic, immersive environments, including the following:

• Configurable weather model. Includes user-adjustable weather conditions, limitless variations using four cloud types, wind-speed and directional controls, visibility effects and precipitation modeling, or use of near-real-time weather from an external data feed.
• Extensive scene generation and scenery support. Has support for up to five seasons including hard winter, continuous time of day, night textures and scenery support including automatic fill-in.
• After-Action Review. Allows for effective performance playback and analysis. Support of standardized data sources. Supports Digital Elevation Model data, vector data, WGS-84 datum, METAR weather data, dynamic objects, Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and others.
• Multiplayer functionality and Internet support including Voice over IP. Allows up to 30 people to interact around the world using a peer-to-peer broadband connection.

Source Non-Mobile: http://www.flightsimx.co.uk/announcements/microsoft-gets-serious-about-simulation/
PDF Data Sheet PDF: http://download.microsoft.com/...

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