Open Standards for Real-Time 3D Communication

 VRML and X3D are by far the most widely used Web3D technologies

Aug 30, 2004

A series of google searches on the popularity of major Web3D formats by MacWeb3D.org shows that VRML is the most popular Web3D format and used in many applications. With over a million hits, it’s cited twenty times more often than Shockwave 3D - but only seven times more often than it evolutionary successor, X3D.

 The Flux Papers weblog - “Like a Phoenix From the Ashes: X3D and the Rebirth of Reason”

Aug 27, 2004

This is Tony Parisi’s personal weblog and it is a great read for anyone interested in the real-time 3D industry.

X3D has re-ignited the revolution of affordable, open, scalable real time 3D, delivered over networks, running on multiple platforms, with seamless data exchange and integrated into applications. GIS, engineering, training, manufacturing, education, defense, homeland security, corporate communications, presentation graphics, marketing, e-commerce, travel, real estate, entertainment, games, medical, pharmaceutical… it’s hard to conceive of an application area that is not *already* using real time 3D in one way or another. It won’t be long before they make the move to X3D because it makes good business sense.

 Medical X3D application scenario demonstrated at Siggraph BOF

Aug 21, 2004

As part of the BOF meeting at Siggraph 2004, the Medical Working group demonstrated an application scenario using existing applications. It started with CAT/PET scans (using OSIRIX on a Mac) to look at the abdominal and back area of a patient. The system then used a built in segmentation program to segment out the boney areas of the back. The data was then “exported” to X3D and then read into Kay Melzer’s 3D annotation system based on MedWorld, to annotate the back with useful annotations, (e.g. it hurts here!). Then his system “exported” to X3D and was then imported into Nigel Johns (U of Wales) virtual training system to perform a practice lumbar puncture on the back structure.

 J2EE Model Browser exports X3D interactive models

Aug 19, 2004

This application generate an interactive 3D visualization of the Management Information Model exposed by an Enterprise Application Server compliant with the J2EE Management Specification, JSR 77. The graphical model illustrates both the managed object containment and dependency hierarchy specified by JSR 77, together with the service dependencies derived from the content of the module deployment descriptors. The latest version has preliminary support for exporting X3D interactive models.

 XMSF Developers Deep-Dive Workshop, August 23-24, 2004

Aug 16, 2004

The XMSF Developers Deep-Dive Workshop will be held August 23-24, 2004 at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California. XMSF is a broad initiative to use web services and open standards for modeling and simulation. It uses X3D as the real-time 3D component. Topics at the two day workshop include:

• Xj3D Open Source Codebase for X3D Graphics
• XSBC XML Schema Binary Compression
• Integrated Web Services Applications:  NPS Automous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Workbench
• Networked EducationWare (NEW) Multimedia Tools
• Exercise Command and Control Interface (XC2I)
• Prototype Case Study

 Flux Player V1.2 supports X3D immersive profile

Aug 16, 2004

The new Flux Version 1.2 features a highly optimized engine for rendering X3D content, a set of APIs for third-party development, and a one-click installable media player plug-in for viewing X3D content embedded in web pages. The new release features significant performance and stability enhancements, improved navigation and full X3D Immersive support.

 X3D presentations at Siggraph 3DX Demo or Die

Aug 15, 2004

With over 2000 people appearing at the show, the Demo or Die event at Siggraph featured many X3D presentations. Each presenter received 3 minutes to do an interactive real-time demonstration of their material.

 Snoopy Labyrinth at the Schulz Museum can be experienced using X3D

Aug 12, 2004

The contemporary Snoopy Labyrinth at the Charles Schulz Museum is unique in several ways. This labyrinth, in the shape of Snoopy’s head, has two distinct areas which are a part of the whole. Winding through Snoopy’s nose, you will encounter a meander switch-back, and when you find yourself in Snoopy’s ear, you will have navigated a two-circuit, classical-style labyrinth. The entire journey, in and out of the Snoopy Labyrinth is about 875 feet, one-sixth-of-a-mile. Using X3D, you can now take a walk through the labyrinth as if you were actually there. Labyrinth produced by Cube Productions, Media Machines, and Virtock Technologies.

 theX3DExperience showcase website of real-world X3D projects

Aug 12, 2004

Cube Productions in association with Media|Machines and Virtock Technologies launched the TheX3Dxperience.com - a showcase website for real-time X3D content. “The website was designed to showcase the wide capabilities of content projects that X3D can be used for now. The tools for authoring and the players for the distribution of X3D have reached a level in which they can easily compete with the proprietary, closed format, web3d tools of the last few years. Using X3D as the final published format allows both myself and my clients to know that the project and content we made today, will still be able to be viewed and built upon tomorrow. I’ve produced web3d projects for over 9 years now, used every technology offered, and can finally say that X3D is for real, and its here today.”

 modo sub-division surface modeler for Mac OS X with X3D export

Aug 12, 2004

modo is an advanced polygonal and subdivision surface modeling tool for creating any kind of model. It combines a powerful, real-time subdivision surface modeling engine with a user-centric, highly customizable interface and includes hundreds of production-oriented tools, which can be repeatedly modified to handle the trickiest of modeling tasks. modo for Mac OS X, is being shown at SIGGRAPH 2004 and will ship in early September 2004. modo models can be exported as X3D.

 Siggraph 2004 BOF presentation (4.8MB pdf)

Aug 11, 2004

If you were not able to attend the Siggraph BOF sessions for Web3D, this PDF will give you a taste of what was covered, from the ISO ratification, to the new binary working group.  Web3D Members can login to the members only area of the website to download and use the editable PowerPoint slides for their own presentations.

 Open Inventor 5.0 support X3D nodes and geometry

Aug 10, 2004

Open Inventor is the most widely used object-oriented, cross-platform (IRIX, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Linux, and Windows) 3D graphics API for C++ and Java developers. The new version 5.0 add support for programmable shaders, and support for X3D nodes, including 2d geometry nodes. This release also adds features that broaden its functionality, including more than 1,000 classes and an intuitive, easy-to-use programming interface that allows for rapid prototyping and development of graphics applications. Open Inventor has an extensible architecture that allows developers to add their own functionality using “mix and match” extensions.

 X3D specification approved as ISO International Standard

Aug 09, 2004

The X3D specification has been approved by the International Standards Organization (ISO) as International Standard ISO/IEC 19775 with formal publication expected in October 2004. This specification defines the core technical capabilities of the X3D runtime system and delivery mechanism for 3D content and applications running on a network. X3D supports several file format encodings and programming languages, providing unsurpassed interoperability for 3D data and significant flexibility in manipulating, communicating and displaying scenes in real time.

Web3D/ISO specifications for X3D and H-Anim are freely available.  Draft specifications for the CAD Distillation Format (CDF), programmable-hardware shaders and other technologies are available to Web3D Consortium members participating in Web3D working groups.

 Blender v2.34 better integrates X3D exporter through Python API

Aug 06, 2004

Blender is an open source modelling, animation, and rendering software for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.  Using the Python Blender X3D Exporter script it can export X3D.  Blender v2.34 adds an integrated Python API, particle force fields and deflection, UV unwrapping, ramp shading, and full oversampling.

 RawKee X3D exporter plug-in for Maya (alpha)

Aug 03, 2004

The NDSU Archaeology Technologies Laboratory has released an alpha version of its “RawKee” plug-in for Maya. RawKee (pronounced Rocky - no relation to the boxer or squirl) is an open source (LGPL) plugin for Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited that not only allows users to export the X3D file format, but also allows them to setup X3D scripting and routing from with Maya through the RawKee X3D interaction editor.

 X3D Binary Format Working Group

Aug 02, 2004

The new X3D Binary Format working group is chartered to develop both an encoding of X3D to enable advanced compression of 3D data to shorten the transmission time of models and scenes across a network and a data encryption scheme to protect sensitive model information. The working group will be open to any member of the Web3D Consortium and has already received significant contributions, including patented, advanced geometry compression technology from Sun.  X3D’s binary format will be an open, royalty-free specification that is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2005.