Adapting AVS to Support Scientific Applications As Heterogeneous, Distributed Programs

Abstract

Most scientific applications are currently structured as a series of computational steps, each of which is implemented by a separate program with jiles being used to transmit data between the steps. Here, an alternative model is described in which the application is constructed as a heterogeneous, distributed program in order to improve facilities for user interaction. The specifrc focus is on describing how AVS (Application Visualization System) from AVS, Inc. has been adapted to support this type of application using the Schooner RPC system. An example involving self-organizing neural nets is used to illustrate the details of this approach.