Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced yesterday that it has completed the acquisition of Forterra Systems’ virtual-world technology, On-Line Interactive Virtual Environment (OLIVE™), together with names, trademarks and licenses. The deal includes relationships with all current OLIVE licenseholders and approximately 12 Forterra staff, who will become part of SAIC’s Analysis, Simulations, Systems Engineering & Training Business Unit, led by SAIC senior vice president Bev Seay.
Launched in 2003, OLIVE is a 3D virtual world platform that connects users through the Internet or a proprietary network. 3D avatars represent users in OLIVE; the virtual settings for user interactions range from corporate board rooms to hospital operating theaters to traffic monitoring systems to battle fields. When engaged in an OLIVE-based environment, users can simulate and practice emergency response procedures, collaborate in a variety of ways, and conduct meetings with participants from around the world. Organizations in healthcare, education, homeland security, defense, and business are current users of OLIVE.
Yesterday’s announcement by SAIC is the most recent in a string of changes to the virtual world technology market. Metaplace (http://www.metaplace.com), with its ambition to create an online platform for virtual world development and user-generated content exchange, pulled the plug on January 1. While the user economy of Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com) grew 65% from 2008 to 2009, personal observation suggests that almost all the growth is attributable to adult applications. (For more background and commentary, see “Brave new world(s)” in the January 21, 2010 Learning Solutions.)
SAIC (http://www.saic.com) is a FORTUNE 500® scientific, engineering, and technology applications company serving the national security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure, and health sectors. Because of its abilities to provide training and simulation opportunities for mission-critical situations in difficult environments, SAIC is looking to OLIVE to “take our products in new directions, and to new markets,” says Seay.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Attempts to obtain comments were unsuccessful prior to press time.
