Geospatial (X3D-Earth) efforts encompass client-side, server-side, authoring, and conversion technologies. Much work has been accomplished already.

• Vision. Make it easier to create and use 3D spatial data.
• Mission. Promote spatial data use within X3D via open architectures.

The Geospatial (X3D-Earth) Working Group strives to ensure that the X3D specification is capable of handling all manners of geospatial data representations. We interact with other standards development organizations (including the Open Geospatial Consortium and the World Wide Web Consortium) and vendors to employ open protocols and content standards to provide an interoperable framework for visualizing and interacting with geospatial data. These standards-based specifications will be used to create systems and content that is usable, and re-usable, over the long term.

The X3D-Earth effort encompasses client-side, server-side, authoring, and conversion technologies. It's goals include:

• Providing ability to use publicly and privately available terrain and imagery datasets
• Capitalizing on X3D capabilities (e.g. scripting and HTML 5 browser support) for displaying geospatial data
• Promoting its use as an alternative to proprietary solutions

Web3D Consortium members can participate in this working group by joining the geospatial@web3d.org mailing list.

Tutorial given at the Web3D 2015 Conference (slides)

Selected Recent Projects

• 3D Blacksburg from Virginia Tech is a 3D representation of the town of Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
• Spatial Temporal Oceanographic Query System (STOQS), a scientific visualization of robotically collected undersea data is under active development by MBARI. An online demonstration is available.
• Projects at Bitmanagement