Google has recently introduced, O3D, an open-source JavaScript API which allows the creation of 3D graphics applications capable to run in a web browser. Based on O3D JavaScript API, you are enabled to build virtual worlds, games, product demos and more 3D interactive applications. The O3D application can be deployed as a browser plugin and as a consequence, the users do not have to download and run the standalone application on their operating systems. Even more, the applications performance is maximized by the usage of GPU’s shader language directly, as compared with the software rendering.

Another advantage is the O3D applications portability: the same application can run on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems in a modern web browser: “When we started working on O3D, we focused on creating a modern 3D API that’s optimized for the web. We wanted to build an API that runs on multiple operating systems and browsers, performs well in JavaScript, and offers the capabilities developers need to create a diverse set of rich applications. O3D is still in an early stage, but we’re making it available now to help inform the public discussion about 3D graphics in the browser.” (Matt Papakipos, Director of Engineering and Vangelis Kokkevis, Software Engineer, O3D Team)

On the Developer’s guide, there is presented the modality in which a developer can create a converter and a loader for any type of 3D content. With the help of COLLADA Converter, included into O3D, you are able to import files in the COLLADA format, supported by many graphics processing related software, like SketchUp and Maya.

O3D is an extension of the application JavaScript code through the API for the 3D graphics. Due to this fact, in the code of the 3D applications using O3D, there are necessary only standard JavaScript event processing and callback methods.

In order to use O3D, JavaScript coding and 3D graphics manipulation knowledge are required. Practically, O3D existence will represent the beginning of the process of finding an open web standard for 3D graphics.

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 24th, 2009 at 7:03 am and is filed under AJAX, Google methods & tools, Web Developer Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.