WebSpace Navigator 1.1 makes the most of the existing VRML 1.0 specification to implement usable, interactive 3D interfaces to your data. With full implementation of features like dynamic render culling, level-of-detail, inlines (explicit and inside LODs), texture mapping and an in-scene navigation dashboard, WebSpace Navigator is your powertool for browsing the Web in 3D.
Based on extensive usability testing with "off-the-street" computer users, navigation within WebSpace Navigator has been enhanced to follow a more intuitive format. Direct dashboard controls have been added for both viewpoint and "click-to-seek" navigation.
Using the viewpoint navigation tool, users can step through viewpoints that the world author defined as important. An indicator light on the tool indicates if the user is on the named viewpoint and clicking on the light automatically centers the user to the view.
Also, follow links and navigate buttons have been added to the dashboard. In follow links mode, the user grabs items on the dashboard to move through the world and single clicks on objects in the scene to activate links. In Navigate mode, the user simply click on an objects in the scene to go to it. Double clicking on objects in Navigate mode activates a link.
WebSpace Navigator has native support for compressed and uncompressed VRML 1.0 and Open Inventor file formats. WWWInline nodes can be local files, URLs or CGI scripts, allowing you to create dynamic, extensible content for applications like data mining and virtual tradeshows. Also, texture mapping support inside of WebSpace Navigator is complete. In addition to rgb, jpg and gif support, the browser also supports texture under levels-of-detail, URL texture pointers and infile texture data.
WebSpace Navigator 1.1 incorporates the new release of Open Inventor 2.1. This new version of Open Inventor results in significantly increased rendering performance for WebSpace Navigator.
Figure 2 compares the rendering of a detailed model with the viewer at rest and with the viewer in motion. Notice how objects in the second scene have been culled based on distance and a reference grid has been imposed over the background. This action optimizes frame rate by intelligently balancing scene completeness with interactivity.
WebSpace Navigator is capable of surfing highly detailed worlds through inlined levels of detail. Although the use of inlines under a level of detail is defined within the VRML 1.0 specification, WebSpace Navigator is the only browser to support its implementation. This feature allows WebSpace Navigator to support VRML worlds that are extremely large and have very intricate sub-objects, such as virtual cities or stadiums. Inlines are also loaded in the background so users can continue to surf through the world as new objects pop into view seamlessly.
In addition to render culling, WebSpace Navigator maintains the responsiveness of the interface by automatically degrading textures, LODs, text, and primitives. Using this technique, WebSpace Navigator dynamically enhances or degrades rendering quality based on the performance of the browsing station. This feature allows WebSpace Navigator to be truly cross-platform; able to run on systems ranging from a 486 PC to an Onyx RealityEngine2 workstation.