Data Format - VRML

Purpose and General Description The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a standard language for describing interactive 3-D objects and worlds delivered across the Internet using the World Wide Web. The goal of VRML (pronounced by some "vermel") is to create the infrastructure and conventions of cyberspace, a multi user space of many virtual worlds on the Net.

VRML 1.0 is based on the Inventor File Format (ASCII) with some additions to allow linking out to the Web and including other URLs (overview of the relationship between Inventor and VRML 1.0). The linking out feature (WWWAnchor) provides the same feature that HREF anchors provide in HTML. Another critical feature was the LOD (level of detail) which allows the right amount of data for an object based on how prominent it is in the scene, or the rendering speed of the browsing machine. VRML .0 is a major enhancement and now entering the formal ISO standardisation process.

The VRML repository at the San Diego Supercomputer Center or its Italian Mirror are good places to start looking for information on VRML, including specifications of VRML 1.0 and .0 . Packages/Toolkits that output it The SDSC repository has a comprehensive list of convertors which export VRML, which are numerous for version 1.0 and increasingly so for .0. Packages/Toolkits that input it The SDSC repository has a comprehensive list of VRML browsers , which are numerous for version 1.0 and increasingly so for .0.

A few of the translators referred to in the SDSC repository import VRML and convert to another format, such as: wrloff Functionality

Specifications of VRML
Information on the original 6 proposals for VRML .0, from which the choice for further work was made, and the result of the poll.
The VRML FAQ
Links to popular VRML sites

Further Information Examples:

Example Applications referred to by the SDSC VRML Repository
BT - AA&T Portal (examples of VRML)
xtal-3d VRML construction of 3D crystal structures

Some key players:

VRML Architecture Group which is responsible for fostering the future of VRML
Template Graphics Software which is responsible for a variety of VRML tools

Commercial VRML products

The Marriage of Java and VRML by Adrian Scott.

FORMATS

Information last updated on 1 September 1996

Graphics Multimedia Virtual Environments Visualisation Contents