| Q&A |
 Richard
D. Benoit
Intel
03/11/04
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| Q1 |
What is the Industry Forum, and what is the role of Intel in
this organization? |
| A1 |
Intel
is a proud founding member of the 3D Industry Forum. Rick
Benoit of Intel, which has taken a lead role in the forum,
is currently the chairman of the special interest group that
was established to accomplish the mission and objectives listed
below. The forum has brought together a diverse group of companies
and organizations, including Boeing, HP, Adobe, Bentley Systems,
Right Hemisphere and others whose main focus had been the
promotional development of 3D graphics for use in various
industries, specifically at this time manufacturing as well
as construction and industrial plant design.
-Mission: Establish a community for ongoing industry initiatives
and development in 3D graphics
- Objectives:
- Promotion of industry growth and ecosystem development
through industry collaboration
- Creation of a single, common and open 3D standard
U3D (JPEG for 3D) through the Ecma relationship
- Providing tools and information for use of 3DIF
technologies
- Education of business and end-user communities
as to the value, benefits and usage models for 3D with a complimentary
strategy for adoption by the members and the industry at large
- Coordination of efforts with other organizations
that support similar and/or complimentary initiatives |
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| Q2 |
What
are the goals of the U3D format? |
| A2 |
Intel is taking a leading role in creating an open and extensible
format for the sharing and visualization of 3D data in any mainstream
application. This standard format – a “JPEG”
for 3D graphics – along with runtime libraries, will be
designed to support the re-purposing of existing 3D CAD data
for use in other applications. The new standard will be developed
in close collaboration with ECMA International and the 3D Industry
Forum (see details below). The first version of the Universal
3D (U3D) open format will be released in 2004 with a sample
player and runtime libraries to support adoption and implementation.
Key features will include streaming and compression, animation,
and the capability for end users to begin interacting with the
content before the entire file is downloaded to its destination.
Additional advanced graphics capabilities will be added over
time. These advanced features will take advantage of Intel’s
future multi-core architectures.
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| Q3 |
What
would U3D change in the workflow for creating 3D contents? |
| A3 |
The
most significant change in the workflow for creating 3D content
would be in the ability for developers to use CAD data from
its source in the model creation process. Once the data is exported
to the U3D format, that data could then be imported into a content
creation tool in a compressed format and then repurpsoed without
having to recreate the selected model or object. This will reduce
the amount of effort, money and resources required for creating
high quality, yet realistic 3D models. |
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| Q4 |
Would
U3D commes with an internet viewer? |
| A4 |
The
U3D open format will be issued with accompanying run time libraries
and a sample player. This player will be released for the sole
purpose of providing a sample of how a player could be developed
should an ISV or developer need some guidance and direction
for doing so. It is not intended to be a universal player that
is required for viewing U3D data. |
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| Q5 |
What
would be the features of U3D in the field of geometry compression? |
| A5 |
The
primary geometry type supported by the Universal 3D file format
is the triangle mesh. The format supports optional inclusion
of multiple texture coordinate layers, vertex colors and explicit
vertex normals. There are two methods for storing the triangle
mesh geometry information. The first method is a raw, uncompressed
method. The second method is a progressive, compressed method.
The compression performance is competitive with existing geometry
compression techniques. This second method enables U3D’s
continuous-level-of-detail (C-LOD) feature. With the C-LOD
technology, a low vertex count version of the triangle mesh
can be displayed before the entire file has been processed.
C-LOD dynamically adjusts the number of vertices in the mesh
used for visualization. This is very useful for working with
large, complex models over relatively slow networks or on
relatively less capable graphical display clients. |
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| Q6 |
Is
it only targeting the CAD Market or can it be used by a wide
range of 3D media (entertainment, education, training...) |
| A6 |
The
3D Industry Forum was established originally to specifically
address the manufacturing market and the reuse of CAD data in
mainstream applications other than design, engineering and manufacturing.
This does not necessarily prevent other markets from adopting
the forma as well. There are many use cases for U3D in the training,
education and entertainment market and the forum is looking
at providing easy access to the format for those purposes as
well. Much of the CAD 3D repurposing work can be easily translated
to those applications as well. |
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| Q7 |
When
will U3D technology be available? |
| A7 |
The
U3D open format will be available by the end of the year, 2004.
It will be released with the complementary run time libraries
as well. |
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| Q8 |
Would
it be an OpenSource Format? |
| A8 |
Yes,
the format will be an OpenSource format. The 3D Industry Forum
(3DIF) has submitted the format for approval as an Ecma International
standard and awaiting formal approval scheduled for December
9, 2004. Once approved, 3DIF will work with Ecma International
to present the format for ISO approval. |
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| Q9 |
Is
there any links between U3D and similar working groups such
as OpenHSF and Web3D consortium's CAD Distillation Format (CDF)? |
| A9 |
The
U3D format is intended to provide the industry an open format
for the repurposing of CAD data for non-traditional uses of
that data. The target application and usage models for U3D include
sales, marketing, customer service, training, maintenance. i.e.
applications that require a lightweight and compressed data
format that allows a high quality representation of a 3D model
that was created from the original source data. This model can
then be viewed easily by users that work outside of engineering
and manufacturing. This data can then be viewed without the
need for proprietary software or high end hardware capabilities. |
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