VRML Scene Research Articles

Exploration to Virtual Reality 3D Key Techniques based on Cosmo Browser Plug-in

Paper mainly discussed some key techniques in virtual system programming based on Cosmo browser plug-in, including virtual apperceive sensor, three dimension human body model, virtual avatar application, VRML extension etc. Explanation, execution and presentation of VRML scenes are realized through virtual browser. It is responsible for presenting sight and sound experience of scene graphs. Interaction between user and environment is one of the essential functions of virtual system. There are three apperceive sensor nodes in VRML system, including VisibilitySensor, ProximitySensor and Collision node. They are mainly used to sense objects whether user visible or their closeness with user, also whether happening collision. Paper mainly studied NavigationInfo node’s grammatical pattern and its avatarSize field. These determine the collision detection and user perspective scope with the undulating terrain. H-ANIM format, which is tightly integrated with VRML, is mainly used to construct three human body structure on WWW page. Paper mainly emphasizes on its hierarchy node association structure. Virtual avatar technology is the foundation for cooperative multi-user to apperceive current colony’s working status. When running VRML program, an invisible explorer avatar can be assumed in three-dimensional space. There are mainly used four kinds of techniques to extend VRML function. They are embedding VRML into HTML, associating Script node with Java class, quoting JavaScript code and programming through EAI. Building correspondence channel between VRML scene and external world is EAI’s function. EAI directly extends VRML’s environment interaction efficiency and programming ability.

Animation toolkit based on a database approach for reusing motions and models

As animations become more readily available, simultaneously the complexity of creating animations has also increased. In this paper, we address the issue by describing an animation toolkit based on a database approach for reusing geometric animation models and their motion sequences. The aim of our approach is to create a framework aimed for novice animators. Here, we use an alternative notion of a VRML scene graph to describe a geometric model, specifically intended for reuse. We represent this scene graph model as a relational database. A set of spatial, temporal, and motion operations are then used to manipulate the models and motions in an animation database. Spatial operations help in inserting/deleting geometric models in a new animation scene. Temporal and motion operations help in generating animation sequences in a variety of ways. For instance, motion information of one geometric model can be applied to another model or a motion sequence can be retargeted to meet additional constraints (e.g., wiping action on a table can be retargeted with constraints that reduce the size of the table). We present the design and implementation of this toolkit along with several interesting examples of animation sequences that can be generated using this toolkit.

오차 감소를 위한 이동로봇 Self-Localization과 VRML 영상오버레이 기법

Inaccurate localization exposes a robot to many dangerous conditions. It could make a robot be moved to wrong direction or damaged by collision with surrounding obstacles. There are numerous approaches to self-localization, and there are different modalities as well (vision, laser range finders, ultrasonic sonars). Since sensor information is generally uncertain and contains noise, there are many researches to reduce the noise. But, the correctness is limited because most researches are based on statistical approach. The goal of our research is to measure more exact robot location by matching between built VRML 3D model and real vision image. To determine the position of mobile robot, landmark-localization technique has been applied. Landmarks are any detectable structure in the physical environment. Some use vertical lines, others use specially designed markers, In this paper, specially designed markers are used as landmarks. Given known focal length and a single image of three landmarks it is possible to compute the angular separation between the lines of sight of the landmarks. The image-processing and neural network pattern matching techniques are employed to recognize landmarks placed in a robot working environment. After self-localization, the 2D scene of the vision is overlaid with the VRML scene.

AN EFFICIENT CONTENT-BASED RETRIEVAL SYSTEM FOR 3D OBJECTS

VRML is rapidly becoming the standard file format for delivering 3D content via the Internet. Most 2D and even 3D content-based retrieval techniques are designed based on 2-D information such as shape or texture comparisons. In this paper, we present a novel similarity method based on 3D information extracted from the VRML object database. Users may give a VRML object and find VRML scenes that use the similar object via our retrieval system. The system includes multiple subsystems, which are conducted in two main parts. The first part includes the VRML object parser system and the normalization system. The second part includes the comparison system, database management system, and a friendly graphical user interface, which improves the interaction and retrieval precision. Experience shows that the system can retrieve 3D objects from VRML databases with high satisfaction.

An Efficient Content-Based Retrieval System For 3D Objects

VRML is rapidly becoming the standard file format for delivering 3D content via the Internet. Most 2D and even 3D content-based retrieval techniques are designed based on 2-D information such as shape or texture comparisons. In this paper, we present a novel similarity method based on 3D information extracted from the VRML object database. Users may give a VRML object and find VRML scenes that use the similar object via our retrieval system. The system includes multiple subsystems, which are conducted in two main parts. The first part includes the VRML object parser system and the normalization system. The second part includes the comparison system, database management system, and a friendly graphical user interface, which improves the interaction and retrieval precision. Experience shows that the system can retrieve 3D objects from VRML databases with high satisfaction.

Applying a 3-D-GUI to a distributed network management system

Three-dimensional (3-D) GUIs help network operators to understand complicated network configurations. With the goal of applying 3-D-GUI technology to CORBA-based network management systems, this paper proposes a method of integrating VRML/Java/CORBA, in which Java applets mediate management information between a VRML scene and a CORBA server. A prototype system configuration that incorporates this method and its operation sequence, which displays the fault notifications on VRML scenes, is described. An evaluation of the prototype system demonstrates the effectiveness of this method.

A Collaborative Scene Editor for VRML Worlds

In this paper, we analyze the requirements for a Web-based collaborative infrastructure within a virtual world. Additionally, we combine several tools and methodologies to propose a flexible and fluid collaborative environment using Java language to create a VRML scene graph. The proposed prototype aims at four aspects: a shared workspace of scene editor, an active entity composition algorithm in Java, collaborative control in the multi-user environment, and access control mechanism toward the shared data.

Scatterplots and scenes: visualisation techniques for exploratory spatial analysis

A collection of geographic data from a particular region contains many explicit and implicit relationships which are difficult to display and communicate without resorting to statistical summarisation or fragmentation into themes. This paper addresses the problems of exploring interconnections between layers of data using state-of-the-art visualisation techniques and is based on the premise that visual exploratory data analysis is a useful tool for providing insight into the complex and subtle relationships that occur in geography. The tools and techniques described extend beyond the current capacity of commercial geographic information systems in terms of (a) the flexibility of the scene description, (b) the volume of data (particularly the number of distinct layers or themes that are viewable concurrently) and (c) the facilities by which the user may study relationships. The techniques proposed are justified from a psychometric standpoint and some important limitations with their use are described. As well as the pictures shown in the paper, further results are given in the form of high resolution colour images, VRML scenes and video clips which may be downloaded from an accompanying Web site.

Analyzing engineering simulations in a virtual environment

We present new results of ongoing research in developing a virtual environment for car-body engineering applications. Creating VRML scenes lets us use the Internet as a communication platform.

The Cyberbiological Worlds of "Nerve Garden": A Test Bed for VRML 2.0

Nerve Garden is an environment designed to allow users to “plant a seed in cyberspace.” It was conceived in early 1996 as a test bed for VRML 2.0 technology. Nerve Garden I , demonstrated for five days as a hands-on installation at SIGGRAPH 97, achieved several milestones, including the creation of a cross-platform, all-Java, client-server VRML 2.0 architecture; the generation of VRML using fractal algorithms; and the ability for users to place objects into a multi-user persistent VRML scene through a two-stage 3D experience. Nerve Garden II , currently under development, will broaden this test bed to encompass: neural-network control of scenegraph evolution and behavior through an engine called Nerves; streaming of world geometry through the transmission of generative algorithms; integration with a database to permit garden cloning and persistent storage; and development of Nerves and its related programming language, NerveScript, into a general-purpose behavioral and control mechanism for a broad range of VRML and Internet applications. The authors hope that Nerve Garden may become a strong platform for larger-scale shared object spaces.

Builder, an interactive molecular construction utility--structural modelling using virtual reality on the web

In this paper we discuss and show how virtual reality (VR) working over the World Wide Web (WWW) can be used by chemists and biochemists as an extremely powerful tool in analyzing data and disseminating information and for interactive learning. Examples are presented of how VR is being used to investigate and visualize otherwise complex data. The program Builder v1.2, which is an interactive WWW program that illustrates the integration of Web and VR technologies, is described. The VRML language is used to build these virtual realities and is an acronym for the Virtual Reality Modelling Language. VRML was developed originally by Gavin Bell, Anthony Parisi and Mark Pesce and is based upon Silicon Graphics, Inc. successful Open Inventor graphics language. It is used to describe scenes that are displayed within a VRML viewer. But VRML is not an ordinary graphics language because it was designed to work within the World Wide Web by including aspects of a hypertext language. Thus objects in a scene may be hyperlinks to other virtual worlds, WWW pages or MIME types, allowing the viewer to navigate the Internet in a virtual reality and it is this aspect that is explored here in relation to chemistry. Builder v1.2 is an on-line utility to create customized, 3-D models of membranes using a WWW forms interface and was one of the very first examples of interactive scene creation with VRML. The user may choose components to go in the membrane from a range of proteins, cholesterol or a glycoprotein and then specify their location in the membrane. The 3-D scene may be supplied at several levels of detail, including a full sphere representation suitable for high-end workstations, and a simple, minimum-rendering format ideal for PCs. The coordinates of the components may be downloaded in PDB format; the VRML scene has the components all hyperlinked to Web pages describing their function. In conclusion, VRML provides a medium through which data that is too difficult to portray in 2-D may be analyzed and published. This illustrates clearly the benefits of the Internet as a future scientific publishing medium and a repository for supplementary and enhanced material to traditional printed journal information.

Builder, an interactive molecular construction utility—structural modelling using virtual reality on the web

In this paper we discuss and show how virtual reality (VR) working over the World Wide Web (WWW) can be used by chemists and biochemists as an extremely powerful tool in analyzing data and disseminating information and for interactive learning. Examples are presented of how VR is being used to investigate and visualize otherwise complex data. The program Builder v1.2, which is an interactive WWW program that illustrates the integration of Web and VR technologies, is described. The VRML language is used to build these virtual realities and is an acronym for the Virtual Reality Modelling Language. VRML was developed originally by Gavin Bell, Anthony Parisi and Mark Pesce and is based upon Silicon Graphics, Inc. successful Open Inventor graphics language. It is used to describe scenes that are displayed within a VRML viewer. But VRML is not an ordinary graphics language because it was designed to work within the World Wide Web by including aspects of a hypertext language. Thus objects in a scene may be hyperlinks to other virtual worlds, WWW pages or MIME types, allowing the viewer to navigate the Internet in a virtual reality and it is this aspect that is explored here in relation to chemistry. Builder v1.2 is an on-line utility to create customized, 3-D models of membranes using a WWW forms interface and was one of the very first examples of interactive scene creation with VRML. The user may choose components to go in the membrane from a range of proteins, cholesterol or a glycoprotein and then specify their location in the membrane. The 3-D scene may be supplied at several levels of detail, including a full sphere representation suitable for high-end workstations, and a simple, minimum-rendering format ideal for PCs. The coordinates of the components may be downloaded in PDB format; the VRML scene has the components all hyperlinked to Web pages describing their function. In conclusion, VRML provides a medium through which data that is too difficult to portray in 2-D may be analyzed and published. This illustrates clearly the benefits of the Internet as a future scientific publishing medium and a repository for supplementary and enhanced material to traditional printed journal information.