3D Post Processing Methods for Web Based Integration

Adding
 interactive
 3D
 contents
 to
 a
 web
 application
 can
 significantly
 enhance
 the
 learning
 experience.
 The
 difficulty
 with
 current
 technology
 is
 that
 it
 is
 not
 fast
 enough
 to
 provide
 the
 same
 level
 of
 experience
 as
 with
 current
 2D
 images
 and
 video
 streams,
 so
 most
 3D
 contents
 on
 the
 Web
 are
 simulated,
 or
 “flat”
 3D.
 OpenGL
 is
 the
 standard
 graphics
 library
 for
 3D
 visualization
 and
 it
 comes
 pre‐ installed
 on
 all
 operating
 systems
 (Windows,
 Mac,
 Linux,
 and
 Unix).
 JavaScript
 is
 the
 most
 popular
 scripting
 language
 on
 the
 Internet
 and
 it
 is
 compatible
 with
 all
 browsers.
 Standards
 for
 3D
 contents
 are
 evolving
 and
 by
 early
 2010
 Mozilla
 will
 release
their
open
standards
based
on
JavaScript
and
OpenGL,
which
will
not
require
 additional
 plug‐ins.
 Google
 O3D
 is
 based
 on
 the
 same
 concepts
 of
 using
 JavaScript
 for
 developing
 dynamic
 content
 and
 then
 interfacing
 these
 to
 the
 underlying
 OpenGL
libraries
taking
full
advantage
of
client’s
hardware.

 This
 tutorial
 will
 cover
 an
 introduction
 to
 JavaScript
 and
 the
 development
 of
 3D
 models
 using
 tools
 such
 as
 Google
 SketchUp
 and
 the
 display
 of
 interactive
 scenes
 within
a
web
browser
using
O3D.
Once
a
model
is
created
using
a
3D
modelling
tool
 (e.g.
SketchUp,
Studio
Max,
or
Maya)
it
can
then
be
exported
to
COLLADA
file
format
 and
converted
into
a
compressed
file
that
can
be
loaded
by
O3D
and
displayed
in
the
 web
 browser.
 By
 using
 the
 mouse,
 the
 user
 can
 rotate,
 zoom‐in
 and
 out,
 and
 translate
 the
 scene
 in
 a
 very
 responsive
 way.
 A
 3D
 scene
 can
 be
 as
 elaborated
 as
 desired
including
texture
and
light
effects.