You can read more about the X3D standard at What is X3D? and Getting Started with X3D. 

 

X3D as a Hub

• X3D is a hub for publishing 3D data. 
• X3D acts as a central hub that can route 3D model information between diverse 3D applications. 
• A higher-level language to compose several 3D assets into a meaningful 3D Web applications with interactivity.
• Geometric data and metadata is written and read with open, non-proprietary tools.
• When data is presented in an X3D file it can be visualized with X3D players available over all platforms integrated with WebGL, glTF, HTML5 and the DOM. 
• There are several workflows and tools to import and export data between X3D and other open and proprietary formats.

 

Modern graphics, animation, interaction and Security

• 3D geometry can be bundled directly with animation and user interaction
• Scenes can run on many platforms, from mobile platforms to caves
• Scenes also run on any operating systems, accessible to any programming language
• Addresses all needs for display of Geospatial 3D graphics
• Provide interactive and immersive 3D experience to build highly detailed synthetic spaces
• Efficient compressed binary encodings provide smaller file sizes with high performance
• Reuseable record-based security of 3D models using XML Encryption (privacy) and XML Digital Signature (authoritative authentication)

 

X3D Features at a Glance

• XML Integrated: Cross-platform, usable with Web Services, Distributed Networks, inter-application model transfer
• Componentized: allows lightweight core 3D run-time delivery engine
• Extensible: allows components to be added to extend functionality for vertical market applications and services
• Profiled: standardized sets of extensions to meet specific application needs
• Evolutionary: easy to update and preserve VRML97 content as X3D
• Broadcast/Embedded Application Ready: from mobile phones to supercomputers
• Real-Time: graphics are high quality, real-time, interactive, and include audio and video as well as 3D data.
• Well-Specified: makes it easier to build conformant, consistent and bug-free implementations for various encodings

 

Web Interoperability

• Excellent compatibility with HTML5 and other Web Standards including XML Security
• X3D 4.0: Complete HTML5 Integration - X3DOM and X_ITE open source Implementations
• Models have archival stability that stand the test of time
• Supports Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML97 and ClassicVRML) encodings
• XML-based .x3d encoding has numerous validation and quality assurance (QA) tests
• Interoperable with other standards, also between applications and platforms

 

X3D Supports

• 3D graphics and programmable shaders - Polygonal geometry, parametric geometry, hierarchical transformations, lighting, materials, multi-pass/multi-stage texture mapping, pixel and vertex shaders, hardware acceleration
• 2D graphics - Spatialized text; 2D vector graphics; 2D/3D compositing
• CAD data - Translation of CAD data to an open format for publishing and interactive media
• Animation - Timers and interpolators to drive continous animations; humanoid animation and morphing
• Spatialized audio and video - Audio-visual sources mapped onto geometry in the scene
• User interaction - Mouse-based picking and dragging; keyboard input
• Navigation - Cameras; user movement within the 3D scene; collision, proximity and visibility detection
• User-defined objects - Ability to extend built-in browser functionality by creating user-defined data types
• Scripting - Ability to dynamically change the scene via programming and scripting languages
• Networking - Ability to compose a single X3D scene out of assets located on a network; hyperlinking of objects to other scenes or assets located on the World Wide Web
• Physical simulation and real-time communication - Humanoid animation; geospatial datasets; integration with Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocols
• Security: compatibly supports XML Security through use of XML Encryption and Digital Signature (authentication)
• Portability: in addition to XML, functionally identical encodings (ClassicVRML, Compressed Binary, JSON) and programming languages (JavaScript, Java, soon C++) are available for X3D scene interchange.
• Extensible: scene authors can create full-fledged language functionality using Scripts, Inlines, Prototypes, and Components/Profiles

ISO has completed a second study in two years showing that implementing standards provides benefits to companies by increased efficiency, reduced risk, increased international expansion, and new product & market development.