[x3d-public] X3D minutes 21 April 2023: INCITS report review, Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) activities, Wikipedia X3D update
Brutzman, Donald (Don) (CIV)
brutzman at nps.edu
Sat Apr 22 13:13:56 PDT 2023
Attendees: Anita Havele, Nicholas Polys, Dick Puk, Don Brutzman
0. Participation. The X3D Working Group meets weekly on Fridays
09-1000 Pacific on Web3D Consortium zoom channel. Web3D member and X3D
community participation is welcome. Telcon information:
*
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81634670698?pwd=a1VPeU5tN01rc21Oa3hScUlHK0Rxdz09
* https://zoom.us/j/148206572 Password 483805
* https://www.web3d.org/member/teleconference-information
1. X3D 2023 goals. Our primary activities for X3D Working Group in
2023 are focused on broad and correct deployment.
a. Encourage consistent rendering, interaction and usage for the many
tremendous capabilities in X3D4.
b. Update ISO specifications and implementations for multiple
programming languages and file encodings to match X3D4.
2. X3D4 Architecture Specification Document submitted to ISO
Web3D Consortium version is online at
*
https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3Dv4Draft/ISO-IEC19775-1v4-IS.proof
with additional information at
* https://www.web3d.org/x3d4-highlights
* https://www.web3d.org/x3d4
*
https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3dGraphicsStandardsRelationships.png
3. INCITS H3 annual report reviewed
INCITS is the U.S. National Standards Body, and committee H3 covers Graphics
and Imaging. Web3D Consortium is a participating member.
* INCITS H3, Graphics and Imaging
* INCITS/Graphics and Imaging develops standards for computer graphics
and image processing.
INCITS/Graphics and Imaging's area of work includes the standardization of
functional specifications, APIs, and interchange/encoding supporting the
representation, presentation, and exchange of graphical and image data.
Application areas include image capture, markup, and processing;
visualization and interaction with 2D/3D graphical systems; synthetic
environments coding and representation (e.g., modelling and simulation,
smart cities, digital twins); and augmented, virtual, and mixed reality.
INCITS/Graphics and Imaging is the U.S. TAG to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 24.
* https://www.incits.org/committees/h3
We reviewed inputs to the final draft of the INCITS H3 annual report.
a. Summary of X3D features. The stable published ISO/IEC 19775
specification represents the current form of X3D known as Version 3.3.
During this past year, the Web3D Consortium has worked actively to produce
DIS text for X3D Version 4.0. That text (with small modifications) has been
approved. The following items are the major changes included in X3D 4.0:
* Embedding and interaction within HTML5 Web pages, including CSS
styling capabilities
* Khronos/ISO glTF 2.0 model access
* Advanced materials, physically based rendering (PBR) and superior
lighting model, matching glTF 2.0
* Projective texture mapping (PTM) and Multi-planar Reconstruction
(MPR) capabilities
* Enhanced spatial sound including W3C Web Audio API and MIDI 2.0
* HAnim 2.0 updates including BVH-compatible motion animation and
rigorous human skeletal compliance
* PointProperties node for point-based rendering
* Individual and aggregated interactive models consistently
presentable across a complete range of computer platforms including
handhelds, tablets, laptops, desktops, immersive devices, CAVES, etc.
* Corrections and improvements, driven by open public implementation
and evaluation using 4 codebases
b. Future of X3D. The Web3D Consortium is working on many improvements
to X3D that will further solidify its importance for 3D on the World Wide
Web. These improvements and additions will appear as future amendment and/or
revision projects when the technology is ready. Included in the expected
improvements are the following capabilities:
* Enhanced geospatial capability (see document 24n3727)
* More comprehensive metadata mapping from existing metadata standards
* Chroma key capability
* Haptics
* Big data visualization
* Camera nodes
* Sensors (e.g., GNSS)
* Special support for VR
* HAnim facial animation
* HAnim internal organ representation
c. X3DUOM. Web3D has developed an X3D Unified Object Model (X3DUOM) to
provide a formal mechanism for representing X3D functionality. This
capability will make it possible to auto-generate much of the content of
encodings and language bindings and there is consideration underway as to
whether X3DUOM should be published as an International Standard, likely as a
new part within one of the existing standards.
4. Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) activities
* Metaverse Standards Forum
* Where Leading Standards Organizations and Companies Cooperate to
Foster Interoperability Standards for an Open MetaverseMetaverse Standards
Forum is now incorporated as an independent non-profit consortium
* Building an Open Metaverse. Interoperability is the bedrock of the
metaverse, to enable multiple disruptive technologies to work together, to
build bridges between applications to scale beyond a series of disconnected
silos, and to evolve a platform that is open and inclusive for all.
* https://metaverse-standards.org
a. 3D Interoperability for the Web - Exploratory Group
Following approval by the MSF board, 47 MSF members have signed up for this
group. Co-chairs Nicholas Polys, Johannes Behr and Anita Havele led this
group's first regular meeting last Thursday with 14 people attending.
Overview and Goals
a. Interconnect 3D worlds, interactions, and experiences across the WWW
b. Enable robust patterns for interoperable Metaverse content authoring
and delivery workflows across the Web; to enable mixed-use of different
asset formats in a single world
c. Increase synergy and reduce duplication of Standards. Identify
parallels, gaps, and fragmentation
d. Create a roadmap to meet the gaps and provide SDOs guidance on
future standardization
We had an excellent discussion regarding goals and activities. Potential
benefits of building examples were considered in detail. I think that the
availability today of X3D4, HTML5, glTF2, HAnim2, MIDI2, CSS3 and related
Web standards will offer many opportunities to present insightful,
influential Metaverse exemplars.
If you have joined as a MSF member, or if you want to contribute as part of
the Web3D Consortium team, then login to the Member Portal there and go to
the link
* Join the Forum groups that are of interest to you for access to
those groups' calendars, documents, mailing lists, etc.
Next meeting is planned for 4 May 2023. All MSF meetings are recorded and
available to members online.
b. Metaverse Standards Registry (MSR)
Don Brutzman is working with Reese Plews and Ron Tse of www.enosema.org
<http://www.enosema.org> and others for registration of standards and
vocabulary terms. Getting to clarity on what is possible and what is
compatible seems to be central to any future Metaverse progress. MSF MSR
products are being constructed and maintained in version control on Github.
5. Wikipedia X3D update
We continued work by Nicholas, collaboratively editing together.
* Nicholas review: some information is irrelevant/archaic, links need
editing, improved prose provided.
*
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Anmbyz7gS_kNHtzHFhALlD9uDbz9Ta9W2Kcw79CM
BvY/edit
* We are off to a good start, edited initial section is online,
current version follows. All feedback welcome.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X3D
* X3D (Extensible 3D) is a set of
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royalty-free> royalty-free
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO/IEC_JTC_1> ISO/IEC standards for
declaratively representing
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_computer_graphics> 3D computer graphics.
X3D includes multiple graphics file formats, programming-language
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API> API definitions, and run-time
specifications for both delivery and integration of interactive
network-capable 3D data. X3D version 4.0 has been approved by Web3D
Consortium, and is under final review by ISO/IEC as a revised International
Standard (IS).
* X3D is specifically designed to work across diverse devices by using
the Web Architecture. X3D provides a range of 3D functionality through
Profiles, from basic asset Interchange and CADInterchange to Interactive,
MPEG-4 Interactive, Medical, Immersive, and Full Profiles. Anatomically
thorough support is also available for Humanoid Animation (HAnim) body
structure and motion. The 'X' in X3D means Extensible: custom vendor and
research component extensions can be added to standard functionality.
* X3D <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_format> file format support
includes <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML> XML, ClassicVRML, Compressed
Binary Encoding (CBE) and a draft <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON> JSON
encoding. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web> Semantic Web support
has also been demonstrated by a
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_(syntax)> Turtle encoding. X3D became
the successor to the <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML> Virtual Reality
Modeling Language (VRML) in 2001.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X3D#cite_note-1> [1] X3D provides multiple
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_extension> extensions to VRML (e.g.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_design> CAD,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geospatial> geospatial,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanoid_animation> humanoid animation,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NURBS> NURBS, etc.), the ability to encode
the scene using an XML <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntax> syntax as
well as the <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Inventor> Open
Inventor-like syntax of VRML97, or
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_file> binary compression, with
strongly typed
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface> APIs
including <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECMAScript> ECMAScript,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language)> Java,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(programming_language)> Python and
other programming languages.
* X3D rendering includes both classic (e.g.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinn%E2%80%93Phong_reflection_model>
Blinn-Phong) and modern
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physically_based_rendering> physically based
rendering (PBR) methods matching
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlTF#glTF_2.0> glTF 2.0 capabilities. Use of
custom <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shader> shaders using three
platform-specific shader languages is also defined. Authors can employ rich
multimedia capabilities including various image and movie formats. Fully
spatialized aural rendering applies W3C
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML5_audio#Web_Audio_API_and_MediaStream_Pro
cessing_API> Web Audio API capabilities, plus audio inputs digitized using
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI> MIDI 2.0 or other sound formats.
* All X3D file encodings and programming-language APIs have equivalent
expressive power, matching functional definitions in the X3D Architecture
standard. Thus X3D can work with open standards including
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML> XML,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Document_Object_Model> Document Object Model
(DOM), <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath> XPath and others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename_extension> Filename extension
* .x3d (XML), .x3dv (plain text; v = VRML),.x3db, .x3dz, .x3dbz,
.x3dvz (compressed; b = binary, z = gzip)
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_type> Internet media type
* model/x3d+xml
* model/x3d+vrml
* model/x3d+binary
Initial release
1997; 26 years ago
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle> Latest release
4.0
2023; 0 years ago
Type of format
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_computer_graphics> 3D computer graphics
Extended from
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML> VRML,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML> XML,
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gzip> Gzip
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_standard> Standard
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardizatio
n> ISO/
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Electrotechnical_Commission>
IEC 19775/19776/19777
Website
<http://www.web3d.org/x3d/what-x3d/> www.web3d.org/x3d/what-x3d/
Upcoming: Web3D newsletter.
Thanks for all efforts to publish interactive 3D graphics on the Web.
Have fun with X3D! 8)
all the best, Don
--
Don Brutzman Naval Postgraduate School, Code USW/Br brutzman at nps.edu
<mailto:brutzman at nps.edu>
Watkins 270, MOVES Institute, Monterey CA 93943-5000 USA +1.831.656.2149
X3D graphics, virtual worlds, navy robotics https://faculty.nps.edu/brutzman
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