Real-time Simulation refers to a computer model of a physical system that can execute at the same rate as actual "wall clock" time. In other words, the computer model runs at the same rate as the actual physical system. For example if a tank takes 10 minutes to fill in the real-world, the simulation would take 10 minutes as well.

Real-time simulation occurs commonly in computer gaming, but also is important in the industrial market for operator training and off-line controller tuning. Computer languages like VisSim

VisSim

VisSim is a visual block diagram language for simulation of dynamical systems and model based design of embedded systems. It is developed by Visual Solutions of Westford, Massachusetts....

 and Simulink

Simulink

Simulink, developed by MathWorks, is a commercial tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamic systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and...

 allow quick creation of such real-time simulations and have connections to industrial displays and Programmable Logic Controllers via OLE for process control

OLE for process control

OLE for Process Control , which stands for Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control, is the original name for a standards specification developed in 1996 by an industrial automation industry task force...

or digital and analog I/O cards.

Real-Time Simulation in Academic Curricula

Real-time simulators are used extensively in many engineering fields. As a consequence, the inclusion of simulation applications in academic curricula can provide great value to the student. Statistical power grid protection tests, aircraft design and simulation, motor drive controller design methods and space robot integration are a few examples of real-time simulator technology applications.

External links

• The What, Where and Why of Real-Time Simulation