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i3D: a high-speed 3D Web browser

Jean-Francis Balaguer and Enrico Gobbetti

December 1995

Abstract

In this paper, we present i3D, a system that combines the 3D input and high-performance rendering capabilities of high-end virtual reality systems with the data fetching abilities of network browsers. Using a Spaceball, the user can intuitively navigate inside the three-dimensional data, while selecting 3D objects with the mouse triggers requests for access to remote media documents that can be text, still images, animations or even other 3D models. Time-critical rendering techniques allow the system to display complex 3D scenes at high and constant frame rates, making it possible to use it in the context of large scale projects. The system is currently being used at CERN as a visualization and data management tool for the design of the new Large Hadron Collider, and at CRS4 for the Virtual Sardinia project and in the networked educational system IPERLER. i3D is available through anonymous ftp from various sites on the Internet.

Reference and download information

Jean-Francis Balaguer and Enrico Gobbetti. i3D: a high-speed 3D Web browser. In 1995 Symposium on the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML `95). Pages 69-76. ACM Press, December 1995.

Related multimedia productions

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E.Gobbetti, J.F.Balaguer - AICA95
"Managing Rendering Complexity", "Visiting CERN Alice", "Virtual Prototyping at CERN"
CRS4 Video n. 28 - Date: 1995
Presented at the First Annual Symposium on the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML `95), San Diego, CA, USA, 1995

Bibtex citation record

@InProceedings{Balaguer:1995:IHS,
    author = {Jean-Francis Balaguer and Enrico Gobbetti},
    affiliation = {Center for Adv. Studies, Res. and Dev., Sardinia, Italy},
    title = {{i3D}: a high-speed {3D Web} browser},
    booktitle = {1995 Symposium on the Virtual Reality Modeling Language ({VRML} `95)},
    pages = {69--76},
    publisher = {ACM Press},
    address = {Conference held in San Diego, CA, USA},
    month = {December},
    year = {1995},
    keywords = {Hypermedia, {3D} Visualization, VRML, WWW Browser, View-and-markup Tools, SGML},
    isbn = {0-89791-818-5},
    abstract = {In this paper, we present {i3D}, a system that combines the {3D} input and high-performance rendering capabilities of high-end virtual reality systems with the data fetching abilities of network browsers. Using a Spaceball, the user can intuitively navigate inside the three-dimensional data, while selecting {3D} objects with the mouse triggers requests for access to remote media documents that can be text, still images, animations or even other {3D} models. Time-critical rendering techniques allow the system to display complex {3D} scenes at high and constant frame rates, making it possible to use it in the context of large scale projects. The system is currently being used at {CERN} as a visualization and data management tool for the design of the new Large Hadron Collider, and at {CRS4} for the Virtual Sardinia project and in the networked educational system {IPERLER}. {i3D} is available through anonymous ftp from various sites on the Internet.},
    isbn = {0-89791-818-5},
    url = {http://vic.crs4.it/vic/cgi-bin/bib-page.cgi?id='Balaguer:1995:IHS'},
}