Army Signs Contract for Institute at USC

By Karen Kaplan

Aug. 19, 1999 12 AM PT

Army Secretary Louis Caldera signed a five-year, $45-million contract to fund the new Institute for Creative Technologies at USC. The institute, whose creation was announced Tuesday, will combine the expertise of the military and entertainment industries to create realistic simulations for military training by developing technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Hollywood is expected to use the new technologies to create better video games, movie special effects and theme park attractions.

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Karen Kaplan

Karen Kaplan covers science and medical research for the Los Angeles Times. She has been a member of the science team since 2005, including 13 years as an editor. Her first decade at The Times was spent covering technology in the Business section as both a reporter and editor. She grew up in San Diego and is a graduate of MIT and Columbia University.