The Web3D Consortium is a non-profit, industry supported international standards organization that spearheads the development of royalty-free X3D file format and run-time architecture to represent and communicate 3D scenes and objects using XML on the Web, between applications and across distributed networks and web services.

The Khronos Collada and the Web3DConsortium’s CAD groups have an agreement to exchange draft specifications for feedback to guarantee that the standards are complementary. Since there is already a synergy between the Collada and X3D XML based standards, the alignment of the groups will ensure that real-time X3D applications leverage Collada-based authoring environments. The Web3D CAD Working Group plans to better align the infrastructure X3D already has for CAD visualization with the requirements of the CAD industry.

There are several software tools (X3D-Edit, Octaga modeler, BS Editor, Flux Studio, SwirlX3D, Blender and others) to support X3D content creation. 3D content creation is a very labor intensive process and these tools help automate it. You can find great resource to X3D at X3dResources with links to Examples, Applications, Authoring software, Players and Plugins for X3D / VRML Viewing. They're all free downloads, but their makers may have other tools for sale. X3D's sweet spot is bringing 3D graphics expression to a wider audience, one not necessary trained in the art of 3D graphics programming, but fairly technical nonetheless. They typically write the behavior part and leave the graphics to the X3D player. X3D is a step above OpenGL/DirectX in abstraction. With X3D they can output meaningful representations of their data without needing to understand low-level graphics.

http://web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/X3dResources.html

There are a lot of different ways to bring 3D on the internet : VRML, SecondLife, PDF 3D... But it seems that 3D adoption is slower than predicted. Why?

Many 2D processes can be enhanced with 3D data. In general, 3D communicates better. The issue here is extending 2D process to 3D and making them easy to engage with. This may be one of the reason for the slow growth in the use of 3D data. While a slower growth rate is expected we can assume that 3D data use/applications are growing proportionately. The growth is slower, because many mid-size and smaller companies have resisted it, but are now being driven to 3D by the large OEMs. There are also 3D based initiatives intended to take industries in the 3D direction.
Analysis of where 3D would improve what you are doing now, and the use of standard based 3D development tools could make 3D adoption faster.

A Working Group of the Web3D Consortium is a technical committee that researches and proposes solutions to specific technical problems relating to X3D (e.g. binary file format). Working groups are essentially self-forming, self-regulating, and self-directed. They are not product-specific but instead focus is on issues and technologies in the attempt to develop and propagate an open standard for the industry.

X3D CAD: The CAD3D Working Group defines a file format and data transfer process. The format, CAD Distillation Format (CDF), enables translation of CAD data to an open format for publishing and interactive media. The process includes an open framework pipeline that incorporates tools for decimation of surfaces to constructs that are more common in the non-CAD environments

X3D Earth: The X3D-Earth Group focuses on developing a standard for use of 3D spatial data while promote spatial data use within X3D via open architectures. The Extensible 3D (X3D) Earth project will create a standards-based 3D visualization infrastructure for visualizing all manner of real-world objects and information constructs in a geospatial context. Archivability of models using stable commercial tools and noncommercial international standards will ensure that 3D work can remain accessible and repeatable for many years to come.

X3D Medical: The X3D Medical Working Group (MWG) focuses on developing a standard for 3D medical images on the web based on the X3D standard, and has proposed a draft extension to the X3D specification to include volume rendering capabilities to view these images. Join us for a discussion and demonstration of MedX3D (the proposed X3D profile for viewing 3D medical images), the MWG's activities with the DICOM standards organization, a review of the volume rendering extension to X3D and the future projects of the MWG

Web3D symposium 2008 will take place in L.A. during the Siggraph. What are the benefits of being at the same place?

The annual Web3D Symposium is a major event, which unites researchers, developers, experimenters, and content creators in a dynamic learning environment. Attendees share and explore methods of using, enhancing, or creating new 3D Web and Multimedia technologies. Having the symposium collocated and two days before Siggraph will bring Siggraph attendees and exhibitors interested in 3D graphics to the symposium who may not have attended if it was at a different location at a different time.

Use of X3D is growing with content and applications in various sectors and across all hardware platforms. X3D with its rich set of componentized features can be tailored for use in any field. X3D has a large innovative community of content and application developers who see this standard as the future for archival, real-time 3D graphics.
The Web3D Tech Talk is a platform for X3D innovators to showcase their latest real world 3D applications and content, and interest 3D content developers to use X3D for their real-time 3D graphic needs.