The WebStorm IDE is the JavaScript incarnation of IDEA and the one tool our X3DOM developers are crazy about. It makes writing code so much more fun and productive. Even die hard Vi guys started using it, and that means something. We are very grateful that JetBrains has been so generous to issue a free open source license of their WebStorm IDE to all X3DOM developers. We have been using WebStorm to develop X3DOM for 2 years now and we could not be happier. Thank you very much JetBrains.

X3DOM now provides enhanced support for shadows. This includes support for all X3D light types (DirectionalLight, SpotLight and PointLight) and for multiple lights per scene. Advanced shadow rendering techniques have been implemented to give shadows a more authentic look and to facilitate applicability in large environments.
To control these capabilities, a set of new light properties has been introduced. Their usage is explained in the shadow tutorial.

T-Systems Multimedia Solutions (MMS) develops web-based solutions for large corporations and medium-sized enterprises. Around 1.000 employees serve customers from every sector, developing web innovations for services used in domestic and commercial digital contexts. This includes e-commerce, information management and knowledge management. The actual developing team develops visual configuration solutions, that use 3D construction data and product meta data in combination with rule-based configurations for immersive e-sales and e-commerce applications for web or mobile devices.

More info: http://visual-configuration.t-systems-mms.eu

We have started a new project for online model conversion, which can be found on GitHub, too. It is an 3D model optimization and sharing service especially for the cultural heritage domain. The system is written in Python and allows optimization and conversion of 3D models for Web presentation and sharing these models on the Web. Its main features are:

• Upload and conversion of 3D Models to X3DOM
• Sharing of models on the web (permalinks to converted models)
• Downloadable ZIP packages of converted models
• Triangular Mesh optimization of models
• Converted/Optimized models can be embedded in different templates
• Asynchronous process
• Server-Sent Events for fast status updates
• Upload archives with many models and textures at once

This project was supported by V-Must, an EU-funded project that aims to provide the heritage sector with the tools and support to develop Virtual Museums that are educational, enjoyable, long-lasting, and easy to maintain. The developed code is open-source and you can just grab it from GitHub, where you also find everything to get started.

At this year’s CeBIT Fraunhofer IGD presents solutions for 3D Internet applications like the instant3DHub. The system generates and delivers 3D Web apps on-the-fly, which are tailored for specific use cases and device classes incl. tablets or smart phones. This way, for instance engineers and technicians are able to inspect 3D CAD data etc. on the Web and even on site. Another example are interactive 3D product presentations for online shopping. This new technology builds upon existing standards and uses the InstantReality framework for backend services as well as X3DOM for visualization.

Basically, the instant3DHub is a service architecture consisting of an app service for providing device and use case specific templates, a transcoder service for converting and caching 3D applications and data from existing resources, and finally a vis service for presentation on the Web.

This external showcase developed by the Virtual Reality Center Production Engineering (VRCP) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) shows an innovative way to present complex content with the use of 3D models. 3DWebpresenter makes it obvious that X3DOM can also visualize complex 3D scenes combined with interactive Web elements. While navigating intuitively through a virtual factory, further information of the results of 30 projects of the Innovation Alliance “Green Carbody Technologies” can be accessed.

Resulting from a collaboration between Fraunhofer IGD and Vicomtech in Spain, X3DOM now also provides basic support for the new X3D VolumeRendering component, that originally was developed by the Web3D medical working group and will be part of the upcoming X3D V3.3 specification. Here and here you find some first tests. However, please note that this component is not part of the X3DOM HTML profile, but generally follows the extension mechanism described here.