texture, vol 3 issue 1

ENERGIZINGALTERNATIVESCentral Florida fuels energy research

T H E L E A R N I N G

GAMEOrlando is ahead of the classin virtual ed development

S O LV I N GT H E P U Z Z L EUCF Tech Incubator critical pieceto entrepreneurial puzzle

Project2 12/7/05 2:28 PM Page 1

T h e O P P O R T U N I T Y : To discover new cures.

To discover new possibilities.

To discover.

Opportunity 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,

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.

Stands For Opportunity

www.ucf.edu

UCF_texture ad.indd 1 11/23/05 1:48:08 PM

c o n t e n t s

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Metro Orlando EconomicDevelopment Commission

President & CEOTexture Executive Publisher

Raymond Gilley

Vice President, MarketingTexture Associate Publisher

Maureen Brockman

Vice President, Tech Industry DevelopmentTexture EditorJohn Fremstad

Director, Public RelationsTexture Project Support

Trent Flood

Director, CFTPTexture Project Support

Amy Edge

Director, Publications & Web DesignTexture Project Support

Lisa Addy

Orlando/Orange County Convention& Visitors Bureau, Inc.

PresidentTexture PublisherWilliam C. Peeper

Vice President of PublicationsTexture Associate Publisher

Deborah Kicklighter Henrichs

Managing EditorConnie Sue White

Publication ArtistsLaura Bluhm, Ranae Ledebuhr,

Michele Trimble, Frank J. Quinones

Senior Production CoordinatorElaine Hébert

Senior Director of Advertising SalesSheryl Taylor 407.354.5568

Contributing WritersSteve Blount, Nancy Christianson Curry, Rafaela Ellis, Denise Enos, Trent Flood,

Jackie Kelvington, Scott Leon, Mark Onusko and C.S. White

Contributing Photographer & IllustratorPhelan Ebenhack, Frank J. Quinones

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TEXTUREO R L A N D O ’ S T E C H N O L O G Y L A N D S C A P E

This publication is sponsored in part by the Orange CountyGovernment’s Economic Stimulus Package 2.0 and theUniversity of Central Florida. Texture magazine is producedby everything ink, a division of the Orlando/Orange CountyConvention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.® (Orlando CVB), for theMetro Orlando Economic Development Commission.Orlando CVB: 6700 Forum Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL32821, Phone 407.363.5841, Fax 407.370.5021. Texturemagazine assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives or transparencies. Metro Orlando Economic DevelopmentCommission 301 East Pine Street, Suite 900 Orlando, Fla32801. Phone: 407.422.7159 or 888.TOP.CITY. Fax:407.425.6428. E-mail: [email protected]. Advertisinginformation: 407.354.5512. Copyright 2004 Metro OrlandoEDC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or inpart without the express written consent of Orlando CVB, onbehalf of the EDC, is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.

TEXTURE WINTER/SPRING 2006 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

DepartmentsFROM THE EDITOR 5

TECH TRENDS 6

INTERFACE 10

PEAK PERFORMER 12

SPECIAL FX 14

INNOVATION ALLEY 28

FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR 30

INTELLIGENT FORMS OF LIFESTYLE 32

Features

ENERGIZINGALTERNATIVES 16Science, business and government uniteto fuel Central Florida's energy future.

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

THE LEARNING GAME 25University of Central Florida is creatingnew high-tech learning tools to benefitcreative-minded communities.

On the Cover: Illustration by Frank J. Quinones

t e x t u r e W i n t e r / S p r i n g 2 0 0 65

f r o m t h e e d i t o r

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CURVE

Well, people how you doing...there’s anew day dawning For the earth mother it’s a brand newmorning For such a long while there’s been sucha longing But now the sun is shining let’s roll backthe awning

— “Check Your Head,”the Beastie Boys

>>

Ahead of the

While people know Orlando as theworld’s top travel destination...whatthey don’t know is it’s also a top regionfor business. Fueled by the creativityand innovation of its multi-faceted tech-nology industry, Metro Orlando is truly“putting imagination to work”. In fact,nearly 5,000 high tech companies and65,000 high tech workers already callthe region home. There’s a reason whythese companies have chosen MetroOrlando. For example, did you knowthat 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 andtraining industry capital of theworld; and

>> is home to the nation’s #1 technologyincubator?

Also:>> Orlando is a top location for the

optics and photonics industry...withone of the few schools dedicated tothis industry located at theUniversity of Central Florida (UCF).

>> UCF was the first school in thecountry to offer masters’ and doc-toral programs in modeling, simula-tion and training.

>> Orlando is at the heart of a larger23-county technology region knownas Florida’s High Tech Corridor.

>> Orlando is home to one of only twoNational Entrepreneur Centers.

We are working hard to make surethat these statistics are only the begin-ning. Working in partnership with busi-ness, academia and government, weare confident that the area will continueto be a national leader in technologyand business development.

We have our work cut out for us, butwe’re off to a good start. This issue ofTEXTURE touches on many of the highwage, high value industries alreadylocated here —and, hopefully, continuesthe conversation on how to maintain andcreate more.

The foundation we’re building uponincludes:

... nearly 44,000 students enrolled atAmerica’s eighth largest university;

... the #1 and #5 hospital systems inthe United States;

... thousands of residents that aremasters at telling stories, sparkingimagination, and providing people withvirtual experiences;

... the military’s simulation procure-ment commands, supporting thelargest concentration of modeling andsimulation companies in the world;

... a mature, local f i lm, TV and digital media industry supporting theregion’s $850-mill ion production market.

... and, a critical mass of companiesinvolved in creating tomorrow’s inter-active entertainment.

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

John S. FremstadMetro Orlando EDC

vice president, Tech Industry Development & Texture editor


t e c h t r e n d s

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By Jackie Kelvington

THE AIRWAYSAVIATION SIMULATION TRAINING IS TAKING OFF IN ORLANDO.

Piloting


With airline passenger traffic rebound-ing and aircraft manufacturing on asteady climb, pilot hiring has risen torecord levels. Between the majors,nationals, regionals, business aviation,freight carriers, and helicopters, morethan 6,500 pilots have been hired in2005. Given these industry indicators,pilot training on simulation equipmentis expected to soar. And, places such asOrlando are already showing thepotential to provide the bil l ion-dollar high tech training required forthese pilots.

A CLUSTERINGINDUSTRYOrlando, unlike most (if not all) othermajor markets in the United States, hastwo critical assets to grow this aviationsimulation training niche. The first: it ishome to Orlando International Airport— one of the largest and fastest growinginternational airports, as well as OrlandoSanford International Airport and ahost of other regional and executive airports. Second: Orlando is recognizedas the largest simulation industry clusterin the nation. Numerous aircraft andground support firms, renowned flighttraining schools, adjacent land to airports

and great year-round weather, round outsome of the region’s other major assetsfor the industry.

In fact, these advantages topped thelist for JetBlue, which selected Orlandoas the site for its first flight-training center, aircraft maintenance and Live TVinstallation hangar — all of whichopened in 2005.

“Orlando is a natural fit for ourneeds,” says Mike Barger, chief learning officer for JetBlue Airways.“Among other things, it has greatweather, things for our students to dowhile they’re here in training, a coop-erative business climate, and land.”

In addition to JetBlue, other majorpilot training organizations, as well as numerous aviation simulation companies, are located in the Orlandoregion. They include:

>> FlightSafety International, which isthe world’s largest provider of aviation services, training more than65,000 pilots annually on some of themost advanced simulators. The com-pany’s nearby FlightSafety Academyis dedicated exclusively to trainingfuture professional pilots.

>> The Regional Airline Academy,based in Central Florida, is arenowned airline career school pro-viding professional pilot educationand utilizing the latest in aviationtechnology and modern aircraft.

>> PanAm International Flight Academy/SimCom training center offers busi-ness and general aviation pilots oneof the industry’s most acclaimed simulation training experiences, aswell as jet training programs.

Forget what might immediately come tomind when you think about the airlineindustry business. Despite factors such ashigher gas prices and mixed earnings,there’s a silver lining in this cloud. Somepositive news coming out of the industrycould nurture a blossoming niche and bolster the economy.

>>S

RLANDO.


>> Numerous companies engaged inaviation-related simulation can be found in Orlando, including:Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grum-man, Adacel (which manufacturesthe most widely used air traffic control tower simulator) and IndraSystems (which develops aircraftand helicopter training simulatorsfor U.S. pilots).

>> AirTran Airways maintains its corporate headquarters in Orlandoand dozens of other major carriersprovide service to Orlando.

And, it doesn’t hurt that Orlandohas a huge related digital media baseand is close to the talent and expertiseof NASA.

“Our company moved to Orlando forone primary reason — it is the capital of

the simulation world,” says Mark Creasap,general manager of Adacel. “Orlandooffers a myriad of capabilities for a youngsimulation company such as ours, includ-ing a strong industry cluster, a skilledworkforce, a top-notch university, and aproactive state and city that encouragesand assists in growth programs.”

HIGH-FLYING SCHOOLS & SERVICESThree area universities play a signifi-cant role in nurturing the pilot profession and creating a simulationtraining ground in Central Florida.

>> Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Uni-versity is the world’s leader in avia-tion higher education, with more

than 35 degree programs offeredand a curriculum that covers theoperation, engineering, research,manufacturing, marketing, andmanagement of modern aircraftand the systems that support them.The university also offers itsCommercial Airline Pilot Training(CAPT) program, as well as FAA certification programs.

>> The Florida Institute of Tech-nology also provides a noted aviation and flight training programwith highly regarded instructors anda fleet of more than 35 aircraft.

>> And the University of CentralFlorida (UCF) houses several cen-ters of excellence to serve theindustry, including the Center forApplied Human Factors in Aviation,the Center for AdvancedTransportation Systems Simulation,and an FAA/UCF Partnership forAviation Team Training Research.

Orlando’s appeal to the commercialaviation simulation sector also stemsfrom a significant cluster of the industry’s support and maintenance services. This impressive list includes:Cessna’s aviation maintenance andrepair service center; FMC Airport Systems, which provides commercial aircraft equipment, parts and technol-ogy-based solutions; ground handling,fueling, cargo and passenger servicesprovided by Signature Flight Supportand Aircraft Service InternationalGroup; and Aircraft Engineering &Installation Services, which designs,manufactures and supervises the installation of aircraft avionics systems.

With an already established indus-try niche, along with world-renowned airports; the largest simulation indus-try in the country; top flight-trainingschools; numerous aircraft and groundsupport firms; available land adjacentto airports; and more, Metro Orlandohas landed as one of the top locationsfor pi lot t ra ining on advanced simulation systems. For more on theindustry in Orlando, visit www.orlan-doedc.com.

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 pro-

grams 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 emer-

gency 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 head-

quarters 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.

BEYOND AVIATION

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“OUR COMPANY MOVED TO ORLANDO FOR ONE PRIMARY REASON — ITIS THE CAPITAL OF THE SIMULATION WORLD. ” — MARK CREASAP, ADACEL

Programs and partnerships

allow us to understand the potential

for alternative energy sources.

©2005 Progress Energy Florida, Inc.

INNOVATE. INTEGRATE. INVEST.OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.

At Progress Energy, we’re committed to

finding new ways to produce energy cleanly

and efficiently. Which is why we’re utilizing

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.

WE BELIEVE PROTECTING THE

ENVIRONMENT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF

STRONG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

Visit us at

progress-energy.comto access a copy of

our environmental report.

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In 1984, a 17-year-old Central Florida high-school student hatched the begin-nings of what has grown into a $30-million-dollar-plus, full-service, show tech-

nology company. It all started with a $5,000 loan from his uncle and the rental of avideo 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 LakeBuena Vista. The rest, as they say, is history. Goldberg exchanged his plans to attendeither University of Southern California’s or New York University’s film school for abusiness plan. Today, LMG has “graduated” to three offices (Orlando, Las Vegasand Phoenix) that provide video, audio and lighting support for shows and special events; a multi-million-dollar inventory of state-of-the-art equipment; 175employees; and 2,000 clients, including at least half of the Fortune 500 companies.

LMG, INC.’S LES GOLDBERGBy C.S.White

>>

IT’S SHOW TIME


Texture: Why did you choose the business of video projection services?

Les Goldberg: When I was in highschool, I started working for my neigh-bor and learned how to use a videoprojector. After seeing the demand, Idecided to buy one that I could rentand operate around Orlando whileattending Seminole Community Col-lege. It turned out to be a lucrativeinvestment and altered my career path.

In 1990, LMG broke the $1 mil-lion mark and introduced the truck-in-a-box concept (a multi-cameravideo production package conve-niently sent to clients in shippingcases and allowing for quick set up).

How important was the introductionof this concept to your business?

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 aplatform and made us stand out fromour competitors. We captured theniche market and were able to, literally,roll in and set up quickly.

Since then, LMG has engineeredadditional production packages,including two HD systems, four digital systems and four analog systems. It takes talent to designthese systems. Is it easy to find thestaff you need in Orlando?

Fortunately, we are able to findquality people because we’re recog-nized as the market leaders in what wedo. People are drawn to us because weoffer the best products. Don’t get mewrong, it is hard to find good talent,but we are dedicated to doing so andgood talent, often times, finds us. Andyes, we do hire graduates from localinstitutions — both UCF and Full Sail.

What is the key to your success?The key to our success is going

above and beyond on everything wedo. We put the interest of our clientsfirst, exceed their expectations and gothe extra mile.

Who are your main competitors?As a national, full-service show

technology provider that also doespermanent installations, we have different competition for each of ourspecialties, but there are few full-service companies.

Why do your clients choose LMGover your competitors?

Our clients choose us because wehave the best collection of resources —both equipment and people — and weare able to execute and deliver upontheir expectations. We will go to anylength to keep a customer happy.

As one of the world’s premiermeetings and convention destina-tions, Orlando is an obvious place to

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be for this type of business. Lookingback, did you have any idea howLMG was going to dovetail so wellwith Orlando’s convention market?

Not at al l ! We couldn’t haveplanned it better ... the stars were def-initely in alignment. We are fortunateand committed to being in the rightplace at the right time, and we have acommitment to continued growth.

What does it mean to your company to have been selectedtwice as the onsite contractor for the Orange County Convention Center, the nation’s second largestconvention center?

From a local perspective, there is alot 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 arehappy to do work in the first-class facil-ity.

You are currently in the processof expanding LMG’s 58,000-square-foot Orlando facility and recently finished construction on the new64,000-square-foot Vegas facility.The future looks bright. What liesahead?

We have a lot going on. We’regoing to expand the Orlando officeand we recently moved in to our newVegas facility. At some point, we wouldlike to pursue a Northeast location.Simply put, our goal is to keep grow-ing our business.

Why has Orlando turned out tobe an ideal location for LMG head-quarters through the years, versus acity like Las Vegas or Chicago?

Orlando has turned out to be agreat location because of the weather,local attractions, reasonable cost of liv-ing, clean air and proximity to beaches.

If you were to start this kind ofbusiness today, would Orlando beyour place of choice?

Yes. Orlando is in the early phasesof its boom. There are still many oppor-tunities that lie ahead.

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p e a k p e r f o r m e r

HeadXOS TECHNOLOGIES FOUNDER DAN ATONCOACH

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Founded in 1999 by Dan Aton, XOSmade its name by producing a systemthat allows coaches to scrutinize filmalmost any way they choose — andthat’s just the tip of what XOS does forprofessional and collegiate sportsteams and leagues.

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

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By Scott Leon

>>Mention a coach reviewing game films to mostsports fans and that likely sparks an image ofVince Lombardi sitting in a darkened roomwatching hours of footage on an old projector.In today’s world of high def, high-tech, this scenario is hardly the case. Thanks to CentralFlorida-based XOS Technologies, Inc. (as in Xs and Os in a playbook), most professionalteams analyze their games using methods thatare every bit as cutting-edge as anything you’dfind in a sophisticated digital lab.


EXPANDING THEPLAYING FIELDRelated to its Coaching Tools, XOS’sFacilities Design and Integration program outfits a team with fully interfaced video rooms, satell itedishes, receivers, recording systems,data storage, inter-office connectivity,interactive video, remote cameras andXOS Smart Board telestrator technol-ogy. All while utilizing the space that’savailable as efficiently as possible.

Its newest programs are NetworkOnline Fan Management and TotalTicketing.

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

The company’s fastest-growingdevelopment, however, is its OnlineFan Management, which allows anycollege, university, conference, leagueor team to completely control allaspects of its online activity.

“It provides a complete backendthat allows the user to configure his Web site as desired, includingoptions such as public or subscriptionservices, streaming video of games orinterviews, merchandise sales, onlineauctions, e-mail marketing, team statistics and more,” says Moore.

This program, along with the other three services, has generatedhundreds of clients from the NCAAalone, including area teams like theUniversity of Florida.

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

are, and bring them all the informationthey want.”

One additional program developedby XOS is the instant replay systemadopted by the Big 12 and Pac 10 conferences in NCAA football.

“It’s basically a very sophisticatedversion of a TiVo device with twoscreens — one shows the networkbroadcast of the game, while the othershows additional camera views,” saysMoore. “It’s actually far more advancedthan what is currently used by the NFL.”

HOME TEAMADVANTAGEWhether you want to call it a touchdown,goal, basket or home run, XOS is scoring. The company has nearly dou-bled in size every year since its inceptionand now provides services for more than680 clients, including nearly every pro-fessional football, hockey, basketball andbaseball team, several college footballconferences and quite a few leagues.

As for hometown spirit, while someprofessional sports leagues may consider Central Florida a secondarymarket, Aton, who has lived here sincehis teens, feels the area is the primelocation for XOS.

“Not only do I consider the areahome and a great place to raise a family, but with the access the airportprovides and the number of qualifiedprogrammers I have found locally, Ibelieve Central Florida to be the bestlocation 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.

enhance team communication andpreparation. Now we provide a full rangeof DVD, wireless, touch screen andtelestration — like [the play illustrationgraphics] John Madden uses on TV —technologies. And, they can use this gearat the stadium, at the practice field andeven on the road,” says Alton. “But,we’ve expanded far beyond our Coach-ing Tools. XOS offers complete designand integration services for facilities, anonline fan management platform and anew ticket management solution.”

PLAYBOOKBEGINNINGSAton, a big sports fan and an even bigger technology buff, began the com-pany when he saw a need for advancedtechnologies while installing electronicsat the RDV Sportsplex for the OrlandoMagic. The team asked him to developspecific systems that would better suittheir needs for gathering, producingand distributing multimedia informationwithin their operations.

“I quickly became aware that therewas a definite market for this kind ofthing in the world of athletics. Coachesnever watch an entire game in a linearfashion; instead they view cut-ups, orspecific segments of certain kinds ofplays,” explains Aton. “We initially usedsoftware already in existence to allowthem to do this. But by early 2001 wewere designing our own with input fromcoaches everywhere and especially fromXOS Executive Vice President RandyEccker, who was a college coach for tenyears and in the sports technologyindustry for more than 14 years. Thatwas the birth of our Coaching Tools.” x


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

>>

By SteveBlount

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

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

Other graduates work for CentralFlorida’s defense contractors, including Harris Corporation. Theiraccomplishments are even moretechnically advanced, but also a lotless public.

Charting

PHOTO COURTESY OF FULL SAIL

full with 80 Mac G5s, along with Hewlett-Packard x4000s and x8000s, and realizeit’s just one of 11 similarly equipped labs,explains how Sakson got so much seattime in less than two years.

SWIMMING WITH TALENTWhile the entertainment industry hasknown about Full Sail for years, playersin Central Florida’s booming high techindustry are believers, too.

Don Quitter moved to Orlando fromSilicon Valley in 2004 to launch Commercial Training Solutions (CTS), acompany that provides training simula-tion solutions to the mining, drilling andconstruction industries. He’s capitalizedon the talent attracted by Orlando’sworld-leading visual simulation industry.

A number of Quitter’s workers camefrom Full Sail’s video game develop-ment program. They create virtual real-ity solutions that train workers about theequipment and procedures they’ll usein high-risk jobs like drilling and mining.

“We’re focused on commercializ-ing the technology, and I see Orlandoplaying a major role in that,” he says.“I couldn’t have started and grownthis company in Silicon Valley. Full Sailand others have created an environ-ment where I can have personnelreadily available.”

Those personnel include Full Sail’sfaculty, because the school encouragesits teachers to stay on the cutting edge.

“We want our instructors to stay current,” Gilbert emphasizes. “Wemake it possible for them to keep work-ing in the industry.”

The synergy between real work and

class work is an enormous benefit tostudents.

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

And Molinari has done it. After graduating from Full Sail in 1999, hewent on to Electronic Arts Tiburon, theOrlando design studio for EA Games.Molinari worked on the interfaces forMadden NFL 2002-2004, and movedup to interface designer for the 2005and 2006 versions of the industry-lead-ing game and cultural phenomenon.

The demands of the outside worldcame as no surprise to Molinari.

“I graduated knowing exactly whatto expect at a gaming company. Theprogram provides training in all aspectsof game design — developing story,characters, levels, intensive C++ programming, asset management (art,

music, packaging) and an eight-weekfinal project to assemble a workinggame prototype.”

Molinari isn’t alone: most recently,six Full Sail alumni — five program-mers and an artist — worked on therecently released Quake IV. And threemore — two gameplay programmersand a sound programmer — areamong the crew behind Insomniacspopular video game Ratchet & Clank:Up Your Arsenal.

These are just a few of those A-list-seeking techies who navigated theirjourney successfully. Thanks in no smallpart to Full Sail.


Tony Sakson, a recent ComputerAnimation graduate, is a 3-D rendererat Harris working on nautical simulationmodels for the federal government. Hesays Full Sail’s approach is anything buttraditional.

“I was a [print] advertising produc-tion manager in Atlantic City and hadbeen studying animation, but realizedI couldn’t do it on my own,” he says. “Iresearched 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 timethan most people get attending a traditional four-year school.”

An accredited, degree-granting college, Full Sail offers acceleratedassociate’s and bachelor’s programs in computer animation, digital arts & design, and game design & development, along with its film, enter-tainment business and music produc-tion degrees.

The programs have not gone unrecognized. Rolling Stone magazinenamed Full Sail one of the country’s fivebest music programs, along with theUniversity of Southern California,Berklee College of Music, Oberlin College and The Julliard School. And,Electronic Gaming ranked Full Sailamong the five best “new media”schools, while Shift magazine put it atnumber three — right behind New York University and MIT.

How did a private school in CentralFlorida become a media and technol-ogy powerhouse? By design, of course.

“Students go to school here on aprofessional basis, attending classeseight to ten hours daily,” Gilbertexplains. “And the school runs [twenty-four/seven], enabling students to finishan associate’s degree in twelve monthsand a bachelor’s in twenty-one.”

The technology students use isimpressive, too — exactly what they’llencounter when they walk onto a professional film set or into a black labat a defense contractor. In addition tofull-scale recording studios and filmstages, the 91-acre campus has roomafter room filled with high-end computers. To walk into a lab stocked

"WHEN I MET DAVE ARNESON [FULL SAIL COURSE DIRECTOR AND CO-CREATOR OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS], THAT WAS HUGE. IT WAS LIKEMEETING 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

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“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 ENVIRONMENTWHERE I CAN HAVE PERSONNEL READILY AVAILABLE.”

— DON QUITTER, COMMERCIAL TRAINING SOLUTIONS

ENERGIZING ALTERNATIVESSCIENCE, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT UNITE TO FUEL CENTRAL FLORIDA’S ENERGY FUTURE.

Illustrations by Frank J. Quinones

G ALTERNATIVESE TO FUEL CENTRAL FLORIDA’S ENERGY FUTURE.

By Rafaela Ellis


seek cost-effective photovoltaic panelsand hydrogen fuel cells, ProgressEnergy is testing hydrogen fuel-cellvehicles driven by its energy efficiencycounselors performing home and business energy audits, and Gov. JebBush has put the force of his officebehind Florida’s “Hydrogen Highway,”a public-private partnership thatrecently broke ground in Orlando onthe state’s first hydrogen fueling station.

“Our greatest need is to ensureenough supply to the state as it contin-ues to grow,” says Allan F. Bedwell,deputy secretary for regulatory programs and energy at the FloridaDepartment of Environmental

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

And already, Central Florida is play-ing a sizable role in investigating andpromoting these essential alternatives.

RENEWABLERESEARCHAs director of FSEC, Jim Fenton leadsresearch into three alternative energysources: solar-thermal, photovoltaicand hydrogen fuels. But ask him aboutthis country’s search for renewableresources, and he’ll give you a storyabout grocery bags.

“When you go to the grocery store,they ask you, ‘Paper or plastic?’” Fenton explains, “and people alwayshave answers.”

Although most believe paper bagsare better for the environment, Fenton

notes that plastic bags actually createless net pollution because “the biggestimpact on the environment is that ittakes five trucks to haul the sameamount of paper bags as [fit into] onetruck of plastic bags.”

And his point would be?“You have to look at the total envi-

ronmental impact of every decision.That’s what counts,” he says.

Take the humble water heater, forexample. Right now, most Floridians use17 percent of their home electricity, at anaverage of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, toheat water. Although the cost of heatingwater with solar-thermal technology isabout 8 cents per kwh, few peoplechoose the money-saving optionbecause the price of a solar water heateris currently as much as 10 times that of atraditional gas or electric device.

In the long term, Fenton says, thesolar unit actually will save the home-owner money. It also will decrease theamount of imported coal or natural gasused to generate the electricity thatpowers an electric water heater. And bytaking advantage of a native Floridafuel, it also will advance the goal ofenergy independence for the state,which now must build a new powerplant every two years just to keep upwith the demand caused by growth.

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

Fenton makes the same argumentwhen discussing alternatives to thegasoline-powered automotive engine.

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

All of which brings Fenton back tohis life’s work — researching ways toproduce and store alternative fuels thatcan power vehicles, homes and busi-nesses — and, in the process, findingsolutions to the prohibitive costs thathave steered business, governmentand consumers away from investing inthese technologies.

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

However, the choices we make todayabout how we’ll fuel these future neces-sities will have a huge impact on the restof the picture: Will the air choke withsmog above the gridlock while, just offexit ramps, cars encircle gas stations,waiting hours to pay hundreds of dollars per tank? Or will the interstateflow with economical hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles — both private and public— while sunshine is captured to cleanlypower our homes and businesses?

“The question is, are we willing tomake an investment today so we don’thave to pay six dollars a gallon in thefuture for foreign fuel,” says James Fenton, director of the Florida Solar

Energy Center (FSEC) at the Universityof Central Florida. “The technology isthere to make the fuel in Florida; it’s thecost that holds us back.”

And so, once again, it comes downto dollars — and sense. We can con-tinue importing foreign oil and buildingcoal-fired power plants, spending bil-lions and damaging our fragile environ-ment in the process, or we can support— through both personal choices andprecious dollars — alternative energysources that will be cheaper, cleaner andmore sustainable in the long run.

Ultimately, experts agree, the publicwill decide which energy scenario ourfuture holds. That’s why a coalition ofCentral Florida research entities, energycompanies and governmental agenciesis working to make sound choices moreobvious. While Fenton and his team

America circa 2025 won’t be much differentthan America today, at least in one crucialrespect: our quality of life will largely dependupon the vehicles, electronics and climate-control systems that help us survive in this high-tech, gotta-get-there-fast environment.

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”The question is, are we willing to make aninvestment today so we don’t have to paysix dollars a gallon in the future for foreignfuel. The technology is there to make the fuelin Florida; it’s the cost that holds us back.”

— James Fenton, Florida Solar Energy Center


ment, FSEC’s various research arms aremapping a promising energy future.The Center’s solar-thermal research armtests and certifies solar collection systems and provides information onhow to use solar-thermal technology toheat water and indoor spaces. FSEC’sphotovoltaic (PV) researchers use siliconcells to convert sunshine into direct current (DC) electricity — the kind thatcan power motors and batteries.They’re working to develop power con-version equipment that can producealternating current (AC), which caninterconnect to the utility grid and fuelany device that runs on conventionalelectricity. Its hydrogen fuel cellresearch has become nationallyrecognized for advancinghydrogen storage and production techniques. Additionally, its buildingenergy efficiency researchprogram has led to energy codeand standards improvements thatare saving Florida residents morethan $100 million annually inenergy costs.

Fenton says PV tech-nology will be avail-able — and costeffective — in then o t - s o - d i s t a n tfuture, especiallyas the cost of elec-tricity rises with theprice of the fossil fuelused to generate it.

“You’re going to findthat fossil fuels are going up andup [in price], while photovoltaic costshave been coming down, so the intersection point is much sooner thanwe thought it would be,” he says.“Instead of saying we’re going to buildcoal power plants in the next ten years,maybe we should be putting photo-voltaics on our roofs instead.”

To hasten that eventuality, FSEC haspartnered with Progress Energy and theDepartment of Environmental Protectionto test photovoltaic panels through aprogram called SunSmart Florida. So far,29 Florida public schools have been fitted with the roof-top PV cells, andFSEC has placed PV cells on flatbed

trailersthat can be

moved to sup-ply power to places hit by hurricanes orother power-supply interruptions. Fenton expects the cost of PV panels todecrease enough in the next three to fiveyears that, when coupled with renewableenergy credits available to consumers,their price will be almost identical to conventional power systems.

And then there’s the Center’s hydro-gen research, which has generated a lotof buzz and no end of debate. WhileFenton admits that affordable, efficienthydrogen power is years away, his 40research faculty members already have

received eight U.S. patents forhydrogen processes or devices,

including a technique for sepa-rating oxygen and hydrogen from

air, a portable hydrogen generator-fuel cell apparatus, and a method of

extracting both hydrogen and carbonfrom 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 thatwouldn’t be much more expensive thanwhat we’re doing now,” he says. “Butwe still have a storage problem.”

The amount of hydrogen needed tofuel a car or other device requires eithera huge tank, he says, or one sturdyenough to hold a load of heavy, pressurized hydrogen.

“Some good things are moving alongin that regard,” he says, and once againCentral Florida is on the cutting edge.

CORPORATERESPONSIBILITYAt Progress Energy’s Operations Cen-ter near Oviedo, hydrogen-poweredvehicles are more than the wave of thefuture; they’re a very present reality.Partnering with Ford Motor Company,the petroleum giant BP, and both theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection and the federal Department

Alternative-Energy PrimerThe future of fuel lies in three important technologies: photovoltaic (PV) cells, solar-

thermal 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 extract-

ing current from light-stimulated electrons. Soon, experts expect such cells to

become affordable enough for home use — although consumers will still need con-

ventional 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 sur-

faces — 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 elec-

trons. 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.


of Energy, Progress is currently field-testing two hydrogen fuel-cell vehiclesand preparing to build a fueling station.

“Orlando was selected as one ofthree places in the country that wouldbe piloting these vehicles, becauseFlorida is positioned to be a leader inthis technology,” says John Masiello,Progress Energy’s manager of demand-side management and alternativeenergy strategy. “We were positionedproperly because of what we alreadyhave here — our universities, collegesand high tech industry — working onhydrogen.”

The modified Ford Focusmodels — only 30 of which havebeen manufactured world-wide — cost about one mil-lion each, an expenseshared by Ford and the DOE.

“Research is necessary and comesat an expense,” Masiello says, “but itlooks promising. We’ve been talkingabout fuel cells for many years, but thisis the first time I can actually tell you thatwe have the vehicles.”

While he concedes that hydrogenstorage, manufacturing and infrastruc-ture costs remain to be conquered, hesays, “These are things that we can do.It’s just a matter of time, as we continuethe research.”

Dividends are already being seen atanother Progress Energy hydrogen pro-ject, a sustainable hydrogen generatingfacility at Florida’s Homosassa SpringsState Park. Using electrolysis, PV pan-els mounted on the park’s educationalpavilion collect sunlight, which isturned into electrical energy. Hydro-gen is then extracted from thisenergy and run through a fuel cell,which in turn powers the pavilion.

“This may seem circular —using solar energy to make hydrogen toput in a fuel cell to make electricity,”Masiello says. “But hydrogen is anenergy carrier, so storing hydrogenfrom solar or other renewables haspotential. The project at Homosassacould make hydrogen during off-peakelectric time and then use the hydrogenduring peak demand periods, thusmaximizing existing generation andimproving efficiency.”

Masiello says the project also has thepotential to solve another piece of thehydrogen fuel puzzle: how to processthe element from renewable sourcesrather than fossil fuels.

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

using gas to make hydrogen, you’reback where you started,” he says.

Progress and others are also keep-ing an eye on alternative energyresearch, such as converting biomass —that is, plant materials and agriculturalwaste — into alternative fuels.

“There are obstacles to overcome,but it looks promising,” Masiello says.“It will take time, but hopefully, the daywill come when you pull up to a hydro-

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

H2 FLORIDACentral Florida will get a foretaste ofthat storied day in late 2006, when thestate’s first hydrogen energy station

opens near OrlandoInternational Airport.

The project is the cornerstone of Governor

Jeb Bush’s H2 Florida program, an energy initia-

tive designed to promotehydrogen technology through

financial incentives, demonstra-tion projects and market

expansion efforts. “Being able to generate energy

from within our state boundaries isimportant,” says Allan Bedwell ofthe Florida Department of Envi-ronmental Protection, a partner inthe project. “And making sure theenergy we generate is clean is

important, because Florida is one ofonly three states east of the Mississippithat meets federal clean-air standards.”

Because hydrogen fuel cells emit onlywater, not exhaust, using hydrogen tofuel formerly gas-guzzling vehicles can help dramatically reduce air pollu-tion while providing sustainable, renew-

able energy to increase fuel independence.

The airport hydrogen station — whose fundingpartners include ChevronTex-aco, Ford Motor Company

and Progress Energy — will beused to fuel buses that take trav-

elers from the airport to CentralFlorida’s popular hotels and tourist

attractions. Concurrent studies willmeasure the vehicles’ costs and effi-

ciency, as well as the costs and pro-duction capacity of the hydrogen sta-tion itself.

“Ultimately, Florida’s fuel supplydepends on worldwide supply anddemand,” says Bedwell. “On the trans-portation side, we consume over eightbillion gallons of gasoline and dieselfuel a year, and that is growing by 300million gallons a year.”

Any measure to reduce those stag-

Photovoltaic (PV) cell

Solar-thermal conversion


gering numbers must be seized beforethe oil prices increase as a result of world-wide demand for petroleum, he says.

“I’d say we’re about fifteen yearsfrom having hydrogen vehicles you candrive off the showroom floor and beaffordable,” Bedwell says.

When that day comes, he expects thestate’s new hydrogen fueling station tohave competition from other hydrogenstations, many located at the same gasstations that now dispense fossil fuels.

“You’ll see gas stations carryinghydrogen in another ten to fifteen yearsor so,” he says, “to where you’ll havean effective network of hydrogen sta-tions for everyone to use.”

And hydrogen is only one of thealternatives state and local govern-ments and their agencies are exploring.The Central Florida Regional TransitAuthority already uses compressed nat-ural gas to run Orlando’s free downtownLYNX Lymmo bus service, and theAuthority is investigating hybrid, elec-tric and other alternative fuel vehicles

for future bus routes. MV Transporta-tion, which operates buses for OrlandoInternational Airport shuttle service,currently is testing hydrogen fuel vehi-cles under the H2 Florida program, andthe bus system’s managers are carefullymonitoring the program’s progress andpotential, says Brian Martin, LYNX’sdirector of media relations.

“We’ll study what they learn andhow it works for them, to see if it’s moredifficult or costlier to refuel these vehi-cles,” he says.

Meanwhile, LYNX is pricing out thecost of replacing its aging fleet of com-pany cars, with hybrid vehicles that savegas and, hopefully, taxpayer money.

“There are a lot of options outthere,” Martin says. “We’ll make ourdecision based on [initial vehicle] priceand the cost of maintenance.”

THE POWER OF ONEIn the end, all parties agree that the mostcritical factors in our nation’s fuel future

are the everyday decisions made by individual consumers. They contend that,while government can reduce regulatorybarriers to research and provide consumers with money-saving energycredits, and while corporations andresearch entities can test experimentalfuels and patent new technologies, it’s upto each of us to monitor our energy useand to speak up for solutions to the current energy crunch.

“The most important thing peoplecan do is to reach out to the companiesthat provide them with services andproducts and let them know that this isimportant,” says the DEP’s Bedwell.“They can reach out to their legislatorsand be active consumers, get educatedabout these issues, and make decisionsabout what they think is important.”

Those decisions include ponying upfor energy alternatives — and urginglegislators to do the same.

“By making expensive decisionsnow,” says FSEC’s Fenton, “we maysolve a lot of other problems later.” x

THE UCF TECHI N C U B A T O RHELPS START-UPSPIECE TOGETHERTHE ENTREPRE-NEURIAL PUZZLE.By Trent Flood

SOLVING THESOLVING THEPUZZLE


Opened in October 1999, the Incubator is a perfect example of a university-led community partnershipthat is making a big economic impact.That partnership includes UCF, OrangeCounty, the City of Orlando, theFlorida High Tech Corridor Council,and the Metro Orlando EconomicDevelopment Commission. Addition-ally, there are dozens of professionalservice providers and experiencedentrepreneurs that contr ibute signif icantly to the services andresources necessary to this program.

“Good entrepreneurs know that starting a business takes a strong resolveand recognition that you don’t knoweverything,” says Tom O’Neal, chiefexecutive officer for the UCF TechnologyIncubator. “Just having a good idea isn’tenough. You need a solid business plan,access to capital, legal and accountingassistance. Thanks to the extensive support we have from our communitypartners and the University, we can helpcompanies through all of this, whichleads to a much higher survival rate forthese small businesses.”

While this idea isn’t new, the tremen-dous success of the Orlando facility,located in the Central Florida ResearchPark, is impressive. Since opening, theIncubator has grown to more than62,000 square feet of space, with 48current clients, 14 graduates, andrecognition by the National BusinessIncubation Association (NBIA) as the2004 Incubator of the Year. One of theIncubator’s clients, Cognoscenti HealthInstitute, was also named NBIA’s 2004Technology Incubator Client of the Year.Not bad for a “start-up.”

However, O’Neal thinks the Incuba-tor’s success should really be measuredthrough the success of its client companies and the resulting 630 newjobs earning average wages of nearly$61,000. Here are a few examples thathighlight how the UCF TechnologyIncubator is helping entrepreneurs sortout their business puzzles.

A SUCCESSFULLAUNCHIn 1999, UCF industrial engineeringprofessor Dr. Mansooreh Mollaghasemiwas given a grant by NASA to evaluatehow it processes a space shuttle fromstart-up to launch. Using historical data,Mollaghasemi built a software systemthat spit out results almost perfectly in line with how past shuttle groundoperations had actually occurred.

That project led Mollaghasemi toconsider other uses for her modelingsoftware. It also led to her commercial-ization of that technology and establishment of a new company, Productivity Apex, Inc. (www.produc-tivityapex.com). After going it on her own for a couple of years, Mollaghasemi recognizes that shecould use some help from the UCFTechnology Incubator to take her company to the next level.

“The Incubator has provided us withassistance in two main areas,” says Mollaghasemi. “First, it has provided uswith connections to people who areimportant to the growth of our business.Second, it has helped us gain legitimacyas a company, due to its reputation inthe community and at the University.”

That growing reputation has led to

Walk into any toy store in America, go to thegames aisle and pick up one of the many puz-

zle boxes you find there. Now, open it and dump thepieces the floor. The mess you are now looking at is anaccurate representation of what entrepreneurs facewhen starting a business. The challenge: take all ofthose pieces and turn them into a picture of success.In Metro Orlando, technology entrepreneurs don’thave to face this challenge alone, thanks to the Uni-versity of Central Florida’s (UCF) Technology Incubator.

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some very interesting projects for Productivity Apex, including work with theDepartment of Transportation, OrlandoInternational Airport, Duracell, Lockheedand Siemens Westinghouse. In fact, thecompany’s modeling software has proventhat it can be adapted to any number of complex systems, assisting in their opti-mization.

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

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

IN PERFECTALIGNMENTImagine that you are a leading IT vendor working with a CIO who can’tget budget approval for a project youboth believe to be worthwhile. A daunt-ing task for almost any technologyexecutive — until now.

Incubator alumna Alinean (www.alin-ean.com) has developed research andanalysis products that quantify the cost-benefits of IT projects, andmeasure the value of these invest-ments. Their tools have been customdeveloped for most IT solutions, including servers, operating systems,security, database management, business intelligence, content and document management, asset management and office automation.

“The Incubator’s role was invaluableto Alinean’s inception and initialgrowth,” says Tom Pisello, a long-timeOrlando entrepreneur and companyfounder. “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 wasallowed to mature far more quickly thanwould have been [otherwise] possible.”

Today, Alinean counts Hewlett

Packard, IBM, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft,Citigroup and FedEx among its manyclients. The future is certainly bright forthis company, which graduated fromthe Incubator two years ago.

Bill Johnston, the company’s presi-dent, puts it this way: “Alinean has estab-lished a reputation as the IT BusinessValue Selling Expert. Our growth plansare robust, and we’ll continue to evolvein response to our customers’ needs.”

A DIFFERENTPERSPECTIVESometimes a bad situation can turninto a great new opportunity. This wascertainly true for two former employ-ees of Agere Systems’ Orlando office,who lost their jobs due to the company’s business realignment plans.

Brenda Prenitzer and JenniferMcKinley had worked at Agere for several years, and had gained tremen-dous experience with microanalysis.When Agere announced the closure ofits Orlando plant, these two scientistsgot together and began consideringplans for a new company based onprior experiences and their relation-ship with UCF.

In January 2003, these plans cametogether in the form of NanoSpective(www.nanospective.com), an Incubatorclient company that evaluates theatomic structure and composition ofmaterials. This high-tech work has led

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 thepotential of using microscopes in thelegal process. This allows most cases tosettle out of court because they haveproof in hand. We give them the ‘smoking gun’.”

The Incubator has played a criticalrole in both assisting with the formationof the company and with helping Prenitzer, McKinley and their two otherfounding partners work out the detailsof an agreement with UCF to use theirMaterials Characterization Lab.

Prenitzer adds, “Part of marketing isperception, and our ability to have aCentral Florida Research Park addressis of tremendous value. The Incubatorhas also helped us with strategic planning, helped us analyze strategicalliances, and provided networkingopportunities.”

MAKING THECONNECTIONLay over in any major airport in thecountry and you will quickly realize howimportant wireless connectivity hasbecome to the U.S. population. Unfortunately, today’s WiFi and WiMAXstandards do not address the harshestradio frequency (RF) environments, suchas providing broadband connection toa moving vehicle.

That is the niche that Australian-firmCohda Wireless (www.cohdawire-less.com) is looking to fill. First developedat the Institute for TelecommunicationsResearch at the University of South Aus-tralia, Cohda’s technology is especiallyrelevant to first responders. Recognitionof that fact led the company to considerthe North American market, wheremunicipalities have some of the largestpublic safety budgets in the world.

Enter Orlando technology executiveMartin Suter, who had recently left Mait-land-based MeshNetworks, Inc., whichwas acquired by Motorola. Suter wantedto start a new venture in Metro Orlandoand found Cohda while doing researchon the Internet. It was a match made inheaven. Cohda Wireless opened its firstU.S. office in the UCF Incubator last fall.

When asked why he chose to openCohda in the Incubator, Suter says,“The Incubator is a center of gravity —attracting an ecosystem of functionsrequired to support a small business. Ifwe opened this office in the Orlandomarket without their assistance, it wouldtake considerable more time and effortto make this company a success.”

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

— Martin Suter, Cohda Wireless

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After decades of trying to convince parents that video games areactually good for you, kids everywhere have finally won a victory inthe war between entertainment and education. A group of profes-

sors at University of Central Florida (UCF) has been working to combine the two by devising hands-on, gaming-style learning tools fromwhich people of all ages and occupations, especially students, can benefit.

THE LEARNING

>>GAMEA PIONEER IN SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY, THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS CRE-ATING NEW HIGH-TECH LEARNING TOOLS TO BENEFIT CREATIVE-MINDED COMMUNITIES.

By Jessica Chapman


The Center for Research in Education,Art, Technology and Entertainment(CREATE), falls within the framework ofUCF’s School of Film and Digital Media.An interdisciplinary resource center forpeople working to develop interactiveprograms for schools, colleges andother areas of the community, it’s madeup of about 35 researchers from a vari-ety of departments, including theater,digital media, film, engineering, educa-tion, psychology and computer science.Funding is provided in part by theNational Science Foundation (NSF),Orange County and the State of Florida.

One of the leading tools embracedby CREATE is simulation technology,which is used to mimic a real processand mock up a real situation. For exam-ple, the group has devised a virtual fieldtrip that’s soon to be tested in elemen-tary schools. The kids take a “tour” ofa virtual world that’s been constructedto help them better understand themeaning of individual words andphrases in order to improve their over-all reading comprehension abilities.

“We’re all interested in how tech-nology is involved in learning,” saysTraci Yeager, the program coordinator.

Jan Cannon-Bowers, an associateprofessor 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 actuallyexperience will help them learn morequickly and easily, eventually increasinginterest and improving test scores. Inthis particular case, a nature walk themewas used to illustrate animals and otherthings you encounter outdoors. Sincethe prototypes are already designed,

this project can be utilized time andagain, and with just about any back-drop.

But CREATE projects aren’t justgeared toward youngsters. Thanks to anew grant from the NSF, the center willbe developing a multi-player game toteach physics to high-school and college students. At UCF, many first-year physics majors lose interest as theyrun into difficult topics and decide todrop out of the program. In this simulation-based video game, partic-ipants play as space aliens who don’tknow anything about Earth. They

meet Aristotle and other prominent historical figures who provide clues toadvance to the next level — and helpthem learn and apply physics.

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

LEARNING ACROSSTHE BOARD Several years ago, UCF’s School of Filmand Digital Media, and the University’sInstitute for Simulation and Training(IST), collaborated in creating the MediaConvergence Lab (MCL). The Lab’smajor emphasis has been evaluatinghow entertainment can aid learning.

“MCL research has shown that peo-ple learn better when information is

presented in an entertaining way,” saysRandall Williams, IST’s assistant directorof Information Services. “They like tocall it ‘creating lasting memories’.”

IST scientists have studied modelingand simulation since 1985. A majorclient for its sim research, the UnitedStates’ Department of Defense (DoD) —including all four branches of the mili-tary — has recently begun to take a hardlook at entertainment and education.

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

The government encourages newdevelopments and typically offers mate-rial that anyone can access and use.There’s some proprietary information,but most of it transfers to the privatesector. That’s important to IST, which isalways trying to diversify its clientele andis committed to contributing this high-tech science to as many placeswithin the community as possible.

“It’s always been a goal of ours todevelop simulation technology that canbe used for other purposes,” Williamsexplains. “Programs used for trainingsoldiers can be modified to trainemployees.”

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

Depending on active contracts, ISTis capable of accommodating 100 to150 people on site, including about 80faculty members.

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

“I’ve been saying for years that we’re uniquelyqualified to do this work in Central Florida.You’ve got people who are creative, as wellas great educators and engineers. There’sno other place in the country that has the mixof talent that we have right here.”

— Jan Cannon-Bowers, CREATE


Williams. “Many of our faculty membersare jointly appointed.”

IT’S ALL IN THE MIND The connection with the PsychologyDepartment is one of the most important since human behavior factorsinto a great deal of the research.

The Institute offers numerous intern-ships and has about 50 college studentsworking there each semester. Internsare drawn from a variety of disciplines,and can earn a master’s and Ph.D.degree in Modeling & Simulation —multidisciplinary degrees are availablethrough the Digital Media, Math, Com-puter Science, Psychology, Businessand Engineering departments. Studentinterns “work right alongside ourresearchers on real projects,” Williamsstates. After finishing a few semestersat IST, the best students often jumpright into full-time, well-paying jobs.

Not only are simulation technologyprograms very rare in the state and elsewhere in the country, but gamesresearchers are even more rare.

“We’re among a few universities thathave started to do this kind of stuff,” saysCannon-Bowers. “There’s a lot of talk, butvery little serious research going on.

“I’ve been saying for years that we’reuniquely qualified to do this work in Central Florida,” she says. “You’ve gotpeople who are creative, as well as greateducators and engineers. There’s noother place in the country that has themix of talent that we have right here.”

War GamesThe U.S. military has used mechanical simulations for decades, but thosethat are electronic or digital are a recent addition, and are quickly gettingmore realistic, more intricate and more popular as training tools.

“The Marine Corps has been using software simulation programs for atleast ten years,” says Col. Walter H. Augustin, the program manager forTraining Systems at Marine Corps Systems Command. “Since then, we’veused 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 simulationsystems.”

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 theMarine Corps and Minnesota-based Destineer Studios(publisher of Halo) that yielded both a Marine training tooland 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 Opera-tion Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,”explains Col.Augustin. “These Marines spent weeks in the studio withthe respective software engineers, artists and game developers to ensure that Marine tactics, techniques andprocedures were accurately represented in the game.

...The purpose of this, of course, was to instill a high level of realism andaccuracy in the final product.”

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

Col. Augustin explains: “The Close Combat: First to Fight sim programis 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 individualMarines working on their own ...The Marine version of the software allowsup to sixteen simultaneous participants, and covers twenty different basiccombat scenarios — which can be further customized into an unlimitednumber of situations. Participants can also be organized into a variety offighting teams.”

And while this may sound like a project that’s better suited for SiliconValley or King County in Washington State, Florida is proving to be strongcompetition for these technological hot spots as it’s quickly developing itsown 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 CorpsSystems Command was established.

“The Marine Corps recognized the need for a significant investment inleading-edge technologies in the modeling and simulation field, “ says Col.Augustin. “And as far as we were concerned, there was only one place forthat investment — and that was Orlando and, specifically, the CentralFlorida 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-effec-tive and efficient training systems for our service men and women.”

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By SteveBlount and

MarkOnusko

IS HEREThe FutureTWO CENTRAL FLORIDA COMPANIES AREMAKING 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 suchcompanies involved in bringing us into the future with innovative technologies that were fantasies of Hollywoodsci-fi movies only a few years ago.

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FINGERPRINT FOR SUCCESSIf Nick VandenBrekel isn’t at your frontdoor yet, he will be soon. VadenBrekelis president of Orlando-based SequiamCorporation, a major player in biomet-ric security. When Harrison Ford usedan iris scanner to identify human clonesin the 1982 film Blade Runner, the ideaof scanning an eye or a fingertip to verify identity was far fetched.

That was then. Now several laptop computers use

biometric scanners instead of pass-words and early this year you’ll be ableto buy a Sequiam-designed biometriclock for your front door at the localhardware store for about $129. No key,no combination. Just swipe your fingerover the sensor and you’re in.

A partnership between Sequiam andlock company Kwikset, a division ofBlack & Decker, will put biometric security — once the province of Home-land Security applications — literally inthe hands of the average consumer.

“We think about it not just from thesecurity standpoint, but also about con-venience,” VandenBrekel emphasizes.“Think about not having to carry keys. Atsome point in the near future most, if notall, of human transactional behavior willbe authenticated through biology.”

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

While its talent is largely home-grown, the company’s reach extends farbeyond the Metro Orlando area. Inaddition to the 30 employees at itsheadquarters near Orlando Interna-tional Airport, where it does itsmicrochip design and software,Sequiam has offices scattered acrossthe United States and the globe —Houston, Washington, D.C., Beijing,Brussels, Cape Town — and it recentlypartnered with Henyue Manufacturingin Guangzhou, China.

Sequiam has aggressively soughtpartners in Central Florida. The massivedeveloper Unicorp, also headquarteredin Orlando, will be using Sequiam’s biometric security for at least one devel-opment. The World’s Fair for Kids,

which will be heldannually at the OrangeCounty ConventionCenter beginning inApril of this year, isusing security hardwareprovided by Sequiam.And Sequiam buys its f ingerprint sensorsfrom AuthenTec ofnearby Melbourne, Fla.

For VandenBrekel,the future for his com-pany and the area isextremely bright: “[Fiveyears ago] people still looked at this cityas a tourist haven, giving it very littlecredit for its tech assets. Since then,Orlando has put itself on the map.”

Plus, he adds, “I’m a firm believerthat you should work somewhere whereyou like to live, and I like being here.”

REACHING OUT TOTOUCH SOMEONEThere is something going on that is connecting Metro Orlando’s LakeCounty to the rest of the world, literally.Mt. Dora-based Cnow, Inc., is con-necting people in a way that is chang-ing lives.

In 2002, leaders from Carlton PalmsEducation Center, a comprehensivetransitional education center that servesnearly 100 persons with developmentaldisabilities, conceptualized Cnow toexplore ways of expanding its servicesthrough videoconferencing technolo-gies. The result: a kind of super videconferencing system that provideshigh-definition picture clarity and fullvirtual interaction with the ability toadjust volumes, and pan and zoomcameras in remote locations. Cnow’ssoftware allows clinicians and special-ists located at different locations toteach, aid and observe people withmental and behavioral challenges.

Cnow CEO Luke Baker describestheir product as, “providing support topeople residing in their personalhomes, and also to people living ingroup homes under congregate carearrangements, who, to this point,haven’t had this type of technologyavailable to them. Cnow affords them

access to specialists across the spec-trum of care.”

A grant with the Celeste Foundationand a partnership with the newly formedNational Institute of Telehealth (NIT)have allowed Cnow systems to beinstalled in homes of children with autismin a pilot program that aims to establishstandard practices for the telehealthindustry. Families involved in theresearch spend a week at the 56-acreNIT campus in Lake County for softwaretraining, as well as to participate in thedevelopment of an educational programfor their child. After training they aregiven a computer with the software, anda camera and microphone are installedin their homes, connecting them to professional support around the clock.

“Our focus has been in serving persons with developmental disabilitiesand others with special needs whorequire a range of services that they arejust not getting with enough frequency.This medium provides that bridge fromthe service providers to the person’shome,” says Baker.

The security of the network is also onthe cutting edge, using encryptedvideo streams.

Obviously, anyone can think of a number of alternative uses for tech-nology like this.

Baker, of course, recognizes thepotential.

“There are other applications thatcould benefit tremendously, such aselderly care, juvenile justice, and education applications. It also hastremendous potential for training andcase management.” x

Cnow’s System Architect Tim Miller and CEO Luke Baker


t h e f l o r i d a h i g h t e c h c o r r i d o r

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TOUCHA MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM HELPSCENTRAL FLORIDA SIM RESEARCH STEP INTOTHE NEXT DIMENSION OF VIRTUAL REALITY.

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By NancyChristianson

Curry

Anyone who’s played a video game or ridden a theme parksimulator 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 ofprimarily visual and auditory experi-ences — to a place where you’rewaiting to feel the gunshot blast.

The setting is a test platform atthe University of Central Florida’sInstitute for Simulation & Training(IST): You’re standing on a raisedplatform encircled by a waist-highhandrail; a fitted headpiece coversyour eyes and nose; a neoprenevest and Velcro bands hold 20quarter-sized haptic tactors (whichregister the sensation of touch) fit-ted snugly against your torso, armsand legs; and a network of wiresstrung with LED lights run up anddown your body to allow a com-puter to track your movements.

Rather than the laboratory, whatyou’re seeing is a surreal, antisep-tic-looking building. You’re a soldier on a hallway-clearing mission, working with a partner tomake sure the area is free of threats.Haptic cues are used to signal gunshots, collisions and distance

The Power of

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR

and training for medical personnel. Thesuit, as well as a haptic glove, will betransitioned into commercial productsfor virtual environment training.

Today, most virtual simulationsimmerse participants visually, whileengaging the other senses in a limitedfashion.

“In order for these simulations tobecome more effective, they need tobe more realistic,” says IST ResearchAssociate Glenn Martin.

“The ultimate impact will be oneffectiveness and efficiency,” says Jennifer Fowlkes, Ph.D., a CHI cogni-tive engineer. “Immersive trainingenabled with haptics can be moreeffective than non-haptic training. Wemay be able to train more tasks, and

we may even be able to reduce thetraining time.”

IST electrical engineer Todd Lazarusdesigned and built the VEST usingcommercially available sensors, but theequipment’s “brains” are in the VirtualEnvironment Sandbox Software (VESS)application developed by the IST.

“VESS is the foundation rock uponwhich we build everything,” says Martin.

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

GRANTING ACCESSThe UCF connection to the project wasa natural, given the school’s expertisein modeling, simulation and computerscience. An important piece of theequation is $60,000 in seed money pro-vided by the Florida High Tech Corri-dor Council’s (FHTCC) matching grantsresearch program, which is designed tostimulate entrepreneurial projects andcollaboration between the industry andCorridor universities (UCF, the Univer-sity of South Florida and the Universityof Florida). Since its inception in 1996,the grants program has funded morethan 615 research projects involving255 companies, for a total investmentof more than $133 million in FHTCCand matching corporate monies.

“The FHTCC grant is allowing theteam to incorporate state-of-the-arttechnology to create a better test platform for us,” says Fowlkes. “Withearlier technology, there were limita-tions. The present research gives us thefreedom to use more factors and toplace them where we want.”

That freedom, and the improvedresearch opportunity it represents, willultimately “leverage a better future forreal-world application of haptics,”according to Jack Ennis, software engi-neering team manager for CHI. “If wecan create that ‘black box’, it will be thefirst instance of an industry standard,and that is the first step.”


from walls. You’re cued to stay 18inches from the walls because bulletstend to travel down them, and you’reless likely to get hit if you stay clear. Youshoot at the enemy, and he fires back.When the shot connects, it’s surpris-ingly mild, a gentle buzzing sensationon your chest.

DEVELOPING TOUCHThere’s much more at stake here,though, than simply dodging a virtualbullet. Researchers are recording yourevery move to determine whether haptic stimulation can increase theeffectiveness of simulation training. Theramifications are vast. Haptics has thepotential to improve countless trainingscenarios, from allowing surgeons topractice delicate medical procedures toassisting aviation personnel and driversof emergency response vehicles.

Despite increasing interest in thetechnology, there’s been little “realworld” application or rationale forincluding haptics in simulation training.Nor is there an industry standard — theostensible “black box” critical for commercializing technologies — forsoftware that integrates virtual environ-ments with haptic devices. That’s wherethe IST and CHI Systems, Inc. come in.

IST researchers are working with CHI,a small, privately owned company head-quartered outside of Philadelphia that focuses on supporting people asthey work with technology. Nine of its 70employees are in Orlando, conductingresearch for the Naval Research Labora-tory’s (NRL) Virtual Environments andTechnologies (VIRTE) project, as well asthe U.S. Army’s RDECOM group.

The research is intense. IST and CHIpersonnel have conducted threemonths of data collection, often requir-ing 15-hour days. Typically, they runfour back-to-back simulation sessions aday, five days a week, maintaining andtweaking the experimental equipment,preparing the participants and moni-toring the sessions.

The prototype haptic suit CHI isdeveloping — the Virtual EnvironmentStimulus Tool, or VEST — is designedfor Army first responders handling aWeapons of Mass Destruction incident

“IMMERSIVE TRAINING ENABLED WITH HAPTICS CAN BE MORE EFFEC-TIVE THAN NON-HAPTIC TRAINING. WE MAY BE ABLE TO TRAIN MORETASKS, AND WE MAY EVEN BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE TRAINING TIME....THE FHTCC GRANT IS ALLOWING THE TEAM TO INCORPORATE STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE A BETTER TEST PLATFORM FOR US.”

— JENNIFER FOWLKES, PH.D., CHI

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WHAT IS THE FHTCC?The Florida High Tech Corri-

dor Council (FHTCC) attracts,

retains and grows high tech

industry, and the workforce

to support it, within the 23-

county Florida High Tech Cor-

ridor 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.flori-

dahightech.com.


Are you an independent film buff? Enjoy immersing yourself in a variety ofcultures? 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 avariety of creative venues. Mark your calendars and plan ahead for a culturallyenriching year.

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By Denise Bates EnosPURSUITSCulturalORLANDO BOASTS A HOST OF ARTS & CULTURE VENUES

CIRQUE DU SOLIEL’S LA NOUBA

FUN UNDER THE SUNPerformed only in Orlando at the WaltDisney World Resort’s Downtown Disney, Cirque du Soliel’s La Nouba isa visual feast of color, light and amaz-

ing acrobatics. The show takes its namefrom a French phrase, faire la nouba,which means “to party” or “to live itup.” The resulting show is a fantasticjourney into the imagination and

through the universe of dreams bothpleasant and nightmarish.

www.cirquedusoleil.com 407.939.7600 • 407.599.9963

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i n t e l l i g e n t f o r m s o f l i f e s t y l e

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BIKE ARTBoth art and motorcycle enthusiasts will feel a part of the cultural revolution whenThe Art of the Motorcycle rumbles into the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) fromJan. 22 - July 23, 2006. Based on the landmark exhibition that opened in 1998 atNew York’s Guggenheim Museum to record crowds, The Art of the Motorcycleexplores the motorcycle as both cultural icon and design achievement, and offersa thought-provoking challenge to conventional assumptions about art and pop-

ular culture in the modern age. The exhibit showcases 80 of the most sig-

nificant motorcycles from 1884 to 2005,selected for technical innovation, aestheticexcellence cultural significance... and mobil-ity, speed, rebellion, desire, freedom,love, sex and dan-

ger. In addition,it chronicles the

most compellingmoments inthe evolu-tion of motor-cycle design and

places these devel-opments in a cultural

context.

www.omart.org407.896.4231

>> Menopause the MusicalWhat started in a former perfume shop in Orlando as a tribute to thetrials and tribulations of feminine middle age has become a nation-

wide theatrical phenomenon, withperformances at major venuesthroughout the country. Luckily foryou, you can see this hilarious musicalsend-up in the town where it allbegan: Menopause: The Musical isperformed six days a week at theOrlando Science Center’s DardenAdventure Theater. www.menopausethemusical.com407.514.2199

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

HOME GROWN THEATER

FRINGE BENEFITSFor a truly unique Orlando experience, the Orlando Interna-tional Fringe Festival is not to be missed. This crazedand creative conglomeration of performance art,skits, plays and monologues takes place this year,May 19-29, at various venues in the heart ofdowntown and beyond. More than 500 inde-pendent expressions of creative license are apart of this unusual and uncensored cultural experience. For the younger set, a spe-cial “Kids Fringe” is offered to introduce chil-dren to live performance. Also part of the eventis “Visual Fringe,” which features artworks pre-sented by the Orlando Visual Artists’ League (OVAL).

www.orlandofringe.org • 407.648.0077

SCREEN GEMSAny time of the year, Maitland’s EnzianTheater is a great place to catch anartsy, foreign or underground flick whilegrabbing a bite toeat or savoring aglass of wine. Thetheater also hostsa variety of film-oriented festivals,showcases and special eventsthroughout theyear, includingthe eagerly antic-ipated FloridaFilm Festival each spring.

This year, the festival takes placeMarch 24-April 2. During the event,more than 20,000 festival-goers willview experimental, independent andavant-garde films at several venues;directors will talk about their filmmak-ing vision and projects; and notableactors will make celebrity appearances.

Additional Enzian events include thequarterly Gay and Lesbian Film Series;the Young Filmmakers’ Academy, Kid-Fest, the South Asian Film Festival andthe GayOrlando Film Festival eachsummer; and the Brouhaha Film &Video Showcase and the CentralFlorida Jewish Film Festival in the fall.

www.enzian.org • 407.629.1088

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CTI’s corporate offices are in Orlando, Florida, but CTI also hasregional offices throughout Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennesseeand Virginia. CTI is a rapidly growing organization and is currentlyseeking talented professionals with backgrounds in network engi-neering (specifically telephony, IP call centers, optical networking,

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DEVRY UNIVERSITYGain ACCESS to candidates with the SKILLS and EXPERIENCE to get thejob done right. Work closely with DeVry career services to obtain:

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