[x3d-public] Immersive Web Device API Specification

Wed Feb 6 08:26:57 PST 2019

Andreas,

> Thanks, Leonard. Well, the Chrome and Mozilla WebXR coverage did seem 
> to emphasize AR with AR sdks now being available for ios and android, 
> a bit prematurely as it seems.

The libraries ARCore (Android) and ARKit (iOS) provide much of the 
needed support for AR work. They include the SLAM 
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_localization_and_mapping) 
algorithm for translation tracking. ARCore was built into Canary 
(previous developer version of Chrome with AR support). Apple is about 
to release a new product/OS (not sure which) that has a lot of 3D 
support built into the OS. It is important to note that Apple is not an 
active participant in the W3C WG.

>
> The API has a mode to switch between VR, AR and Magic Window (mono on 
> the screen but following head movement). There is an Anchor extension 
> spec. effort which has just started but would seem critical for AR.

It is not so much a dynamic switch, but something that is determined at 
run-time. For example, you can't do AR if there is no camera available. 
There is dynamic shift between magic window and full-screen.

>
> WebXR has made the decision to not include any computer vision 
> requirements. Should X3D do the same ?

Not commenting on X3D. The decision was not made just yet. It is not 
being pursued because of potential privacy considerations. This 
explainer change 
(https://github.com/immersive-web/privacy-and-security/pull/15/files?short_path=4298cc0#diff-4298cc0cf8291ec04a133a6b0c0d459c) 
is a good starting point for consider of privacy/security considerations.

>
> From what I understand the Anchor spec. will provide a way to link 
> vision of the real world with a virtual world. Should there be a 
> similar link for X3D ?
>
> Is hololens the only remaining AR headset ?

No, Magic Leap (active participant). There are several cardboard 
equivalents (visual projection of computer generated graphics into the 
viewer's line of sight). I also see news articles about different AR 
headsets, but I don't have that information right here.

>
> Perhaps there are too many questions yet to really start diving into 
> AR, even in a speculative manner.

Actually this is a good time because you might have some answers when 
the WG starts to really get into it.

Leonard Daly

>
> Andreas
>
> ---on the phone---
>
> On Tue, Feb 5, 2019, 11:43 PM Leonard Daly <Leonard.Daly at realism.com 
> <mailto:Leonard.Daly at realism.com> wrote:
>
>     Andreas,
>
>     This version (V1.0) of the device API does not attempt to address
>     augmented reality (where a portion of the displayed scene is
>     provided by the "real world"). That will be address in V1.1
>     (planned for Summer 2020). This version is strictly for virtual
>     reality where the entire scene is computer generated. It is
>     difficult to use at the moment because it requires support from
>     the browser environment. It might be possible to extend the WebVR
>     polyfill to support this API for much (but probably not all) features.
>
>     There is an issue in the Immersive Web Community Group to address
>     declarative languages. The issue was recently opened and is
>     accepting comments.
>
>     This may be a time for X3D to really clarify how it is going to
>     fit into the web eco-system by answering the questions:
>
>       * Does X3D handle AR content/scenes?
>       * If not, where in XR spectrum does X3D apply?
>       * Will X3D be compliant with the Immersive Web specification?
>           o If so, what has to change in X3D?
>               + What will happen when X3D is used in a non-browser
>                 environment?
>           o If not, in what environments will X3D operate?
>           o How does the SAI need to change? (If X3D is not going to
>             be IW spec compliant, there may be no changes necessary.)
>           o What happens to non-ECMAScript/JavaScript language bindings?
>
>     This article that Andreas links below describes what is necessary
>     to test WebXR in Chrome. You will need to sign up.
>
>     Leonard Daly
>
>
>
>>     Thanks, good to see. I found this summary helpful as well.
>>
>>     https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/05/welcome-to-immersive
>>
>>     WebXR is actually available now, but web developers have to request a
>>     revocable permission token to use the API with Chrome.
>>
>>     Easiest to use for experimentation is a polyfill using the now
>>     superceded WebVR API. I feel only actually trying to use it will be
>>     able to discover issues.
>>
>>     I see Layers are still there. In WebVR they were never supported, I think.
>>
>>     X3D was not designed for AR (or perhaps it was ?) but the SAI would
>>     provides a way to feed in the real world into a Scene, using a
>>     backend.
>>
>>     There just does not seem be to a declarative interface to the real
>>     world, if that even would make sense.
>>
>>     How do you best/declaratively provide a floor or a tracked table as
>>     recognized by a smart camera to a X3D scene which then lets you
>>     interact (see how a new couch would fit) ?
>>
>>     -Andreas
>>
>>     On Tue, Feb 5, 2019 at 3:25 PM<x3d-public-request at web3d.org>  <mailto:x3d-public-request at web3d.org>  wrote:
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>>>     Today's Topics:
>>>
>>>         1. Immersive Web Device API Specification (Leonard Daly)
>>>
>>>
>>>     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>     Message: 1
>>>     Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2019 08:49:38 -0800
>>>     From: Leonard Daly<Leonard.Daly at realism.com>  <mailto:Leonard.Daly at realism.com>
>>>     To: X3D Public<x3d-public at web3d.org>  <mailto:x3d-public at web3d.org>
>>>     Subject: [x3d-public] Immersive Web Device API Specification
>>>     Message-ID:<6f0e735b-21f6-748f-9bf6-14f3ebee247f at realism.com>  <mailto:6f0e735b-21f6-748f-9bf6-14f3ebee247f at realism.com>
>>>     Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
>>>
>>>     The W3C has just published the first public WORKING DRAFT of the WebXR
>>>     Device API (https://www.w3.org/TR/2019/WD-webxr-20190205/). This is not
>>>     intended to be a fully fleshed out specification, but an early draft to
>>>     elicit comments from the public.
>>>
>>>     The API is the interface expressed in JavaScript between the user code
>>>     and the browser that controls much of the WebXR device functionality or
>>>     information. This includes things like setting up the session, handling
>>>     device orientation data, etc. It does not include the rendering
>>>     pipeline, and you still must call window.requestAnimationFrame for each
>>>     change to the display.
>>>
>>>     A very useful document is the WebXR Device API Explainer
>>>     (https://github.com/w3c/webvr/blob/master/explainer.md). This document
>>>     describes in non-spec language the philosophy behind the spec document
>>>     and may include more information than the spec WD in areas that are not
>>>     fully written.
>>>
>>>     If you find an issue (or more than one) with the spec document you can
>>>     report to thepublic-immersive-web at w3.org  <mailto:public-immersive-web at w3.org>  list (you need to be a member
>>>     of the list (see
>>>     https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-immersive-web/) or to any
>>>     Immersive Web WG member
>>>     (https://www.w3.org/2000/09/dbwg/details?group=109735&order=org&public=1).
>>>     Of particular interest are
>>>
>>>       1. items that differ from the Explainer
>>>       2. items that cannot be done in JavaScript
>>>       3. items that are inconsistent within the WD specification
>>>       4. items that conflict with other W3C standards.
>>>
>>>     --
>>>     *Leonard Daly*
>>>     3D Systems & Cloud Consultant
>>>     LA ACM SIGGRAPH Past Chair
>>>     President, Daly Realism - /Creating the Future/
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>>>     Subject: Digest Footer
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>>>     End of x3d-public Digest, Vol 119, Issue 23
>>>     *******************************************
>>     --
>>     Andreas Plesch
>>     Waltham, MA 02453
>>
>>     _______________________________________________
>>     x3d-public mailing list
>>     x3d-public at web3d.org  <mailto:x3d-public at web3d.org>
>>     http://web3d.org/mailman/listinfo/x3d-public_web3d.org
>>
>
>     -- 
>     *Leonard Daly*
>     3D Systems & Cloud Consultant
>     LA ACM SIGGRAPH Past Chair
>     President, Daly Realism - /Creating the Futureto/
>

-- 
*Leonard Daly*
3D Systems & Cloud Consultant
LA ACM SIGGRAPH Past Chair
President, Daly Realism - /Creating the Future/
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