Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter I
Virtual Reality and
Java 3D
IntroductIon
Web-based virtual reality is fast becoming an important application and technological tools
in the next generation of games and simulation as well as scientific research, visualization,
and multi-user collaboration. While tools based on VRML (virtual reality modeling lan-
guage) are frequently used for creating Web-based 3D applications, Java 3D has established
itself as an important modeling and rendering languages for more specialized applications
that involve, for example, database accesses, customized behaviors, and home use mobile
devices such as the PDA, mobile phone, and pocket PC (Kameyama, Kato, Fujimoto, &
Negishi, 2003).
Before discussing Java 3D is more detail, we will first give an overview of related
topics on interactive 3D computer graphics, virtual reality, and Web-based virtual real-
ity in this chapter. Specifically, a very brief introduction to VRML and OpenGL will be
provided, including some comparisons of these tools with Java 3D. We will then embark
on our journey on Java 3D by giving an overview of Java 3D through the use of a simple
programming example.
InteractIve 3d computer GraphIcs
In general, the field of computer graphics includes the creation, collection, processing,
and displaying of data using computer technology into a visual representation or form
