Integration of elearning solutions with state-of-the-art mobile devices (mobile learning tools such as PDAs, iPods, smart phones).

Regional law No. 4/2005 (known as Bertossi Law) envisages investments aimed at the competitive development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Simulware grasped the opportunity and gave birth to the first project in this research sector: SKS® – Simulware Key Solution, a patent pending solution allowing users to get trained via e-learning even when no Internet connection is available, thanks to a simple USB pen drive.

The metadata and semantic web research industry is linked to the creation of ontologies, as both approaches depend on how knowledge is made explicit and on making information readable by both human beings and machines. In information technology, the term ‘ontology’ defines the attempt to design an exhaustive and rigorous conceptual scheme within a given domain.

The objective is the application of case-based reasoning to create a kind of storytelling intelligence which, depending on the interactions with the user and previous narratives, can develop the story according to a number of options saved in the system. The final purpose of this technology is either entertainment or training, or a mixture of the two, known as “edutainment”.

The objective of this research is the creation of interactive storytelling environments which can be applied to any kind of content. A methodological and technological framework is consequently needed to create teaching environments which are highly interactive and focussed on storytelling and playing.

Creating an environment prototype capable of simulating the interaction between the seller of a complex product/service and a number of types of ‘virtual customers’, each with their own needs and communication style. The system should be able to generate a dynamic behaviour for each customer according to the content and communication choices made by users/sellers.