Computer simulation is a growing reality for instruction

Interactive computer patients are just one of many cutting-edge virtual technologies being developed at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. Many of them are used as training tools for U.S. military personnel, from fighting insurgents to calming nerves of combat-weary soldiers.The institute's wide-ranging virtual technologies, now found on 65 military sites across the country, have popped in and out of the public spotlight, but last week they were on full display when the institute opened the doors to its new 72,000-square-foot facility in Playa Vista. The institute's funding has increased from $5 million in 1999 to about $30 million today -- as the Pentagon has stepped up spending on training military personnel through simulations. It has also attracted a diverse staff of more than 180 professionals, from graphic designers to former Disney artists and designers.