Virtual Reality

Press Release

Web3D and OGC to build cohesive standards for location-based 3D Web visualization services

Menlo Park, Feb 2, 2010 - The Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC) and the Web3D Consortium have updated their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperatively advance their standards to support Web-based 3D visualization, modeling and simulation. The updated MOU includes membership sharing between the two organizations with a strong determination to build cohesive, durable standards that complement each other well. This agreement will enable OGC and Web3D Consortium members to each collaborate in common Working Group development activities. The goal is to align the Web3D Consortium’s X3D standard with OGC standards to improve location-based 3D visualization.

As 3D becomes more and more accessible to end users, Web3D and OGC envision the synthesis of 2D maps with 3D immersive worlds. X3D is seen as an excellent, stable open standard for 3D geospatial data portrayal. The inclusion of interactive Internet-based 3D graphics will provide geospatial users with a richer and more compelling experience. Among the many benefits of this collaboration will be improved location-enabled 3D web portrayal services to support architecture planning, engineering, climate prediction, security, defense and intelligence.

Mark Reichardt, President of OGC, stated, "OGC is pleased to renew its alliance partnership arrangement with the Web3D standards organization. The work of the OGC and Web3D Consortium complement each other, each addressing different problems to meet shared community needs for 3D information management, fusion, visualization, analysis and modeling."

The two groups met at the 71st OGC TC/PC meeting in Mountain View California in December 2009 to discuss the strengths of X3D as a 3D presentation/portrayal systems for OGC standards. Discussions were also held on how to integrate X3D with other OGC standards such as City GML. As a direct result of these meetings, Web3D member company Planet 9 Studios (www.planet9.com) was invited to develop X3D-based flight interfaces as part of OGCs’ 2010 OWS-7 test bed project. Key sponsors of this test bed include key agencies such as the FAA, Eurocontrol, NOAA and NGA. Planet 9 CEO, David Colleen, said “We look forward to adapting X3D to the demanding needs of flight planning and control including cutting-edge weather simulation, in-flight information, and high-resolution geographic depiction.”

"According to our customers, X3D brings new 3D visualization and interactivity capabilities into GIS applications in combination with OGC's CityGML format," according to Peter Schickel, Vice President of Web3D Consortium and CEO of Bitmanagement Software GmbH (www.bitmanagement.com). His company's new whitepaper regarding Online Geo Visualization describes multiple working applications for consumer and GIS use-cases.

“This alliance is important to both organizations," noted Alan Hudson, President of both Web3D Consortium and Yumetech Inc. (www.yumetech.com) "Industry definitely needs collaborative open standards for location-based interactive 3D visualization, benefitting users with a richer and more meaningful geospatial experience.”

About the Open Geospatial Consortium:
The OGC is an international industry consortium of more than 385 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop open interface specifications. OpenGIS® Specifications support interoperable solutions that “geo-enable” the Web, location-based services, and mainstream IT. The specifications empower technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications. Visit the OGC website at http://www.opengeospatial.org.

About the Web3D Consortium:
The Web3D Consortium is a non-profit, international standards organization that uses its broad-based industry support to continue developing the X3D specification. X3D is the ISO standard for web based 3D and is widely used in animation, simulation, navigation, medical and design applications. Through well-coordinated efforts with ISO, W3C, DICOM, Khronos and OGC, the Web3D Consortium is expanding its support for these important communities of users. Visit the Web3D Consortium at http://bit.ly/Web3D_site.