Proposal: Building 3D Models for the Web
Scope and Significance
Students will work in multidisciplinary groups to build and publish
three-dimensional models using Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).
VRML is a language for creating interactive three-dimensional (3D)
environments for distribution over the World Wide Web.
The course is divided into two parts. The first half of the course will
prepare students to design, implement and publish their own major
collaborative VRML projects. This portion of the course will cover the
fundamentals of VRML, Web publishing, the mathematical principles behind
3D modeling, group project management techniques, and 3D visualization
and design. Guest speakers will be used to re-enforce the
interdisciplinary nature of the course, giving students a variety of
perspectives. In the second half of the course, students will
collaborate to build significant self-selected VRML environments.
Both the interdisciplinary teamwork and the 3D modeling aspects of this
course are significant. The students' experience in interdisciplinary
project development will:
- develop project design and implementation skills,
- increase students' appreciation for other disciplines,
- encourage students to view problems from various disciplines'
perspectives,
- give students an appreciation for the effectiveness of cooperative,
interdisciplinary teams,
- encourage students to become ambassadors for their disciplines, and
· increase students' marketability
Three-dimensional modeling is important because:
- it allows for more richness of information than 2D representations,
- it allows for more realistic environments than 2D models, and
- 3D computer environments are becoming more common as processing power
increases.
Women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented among Web users. This
proposed synthesis course will attract both to the course and empower
them to contribute to the Web. In order to appeal evenly to both genders
the instructor will not allow student groups to create competitive games
for their VRML projects. VMRL projects must serve some purpose other
than entertainment. The collaborative, rather than competitive, nature
of the course will be particularly appealing to women and minorities.
Those who enroll in the course will become competent and frequent Web
users and contributors.
Go to the Table of Content
The primary disciplines used in the first part of the course are
mathematics, computer science, management and art. In the second part of
the course all projects will use the first of these three disciplines.
Most projects will also use art and music. Other disciplines will be
incorporated into some of the student projects, depending on each group's
choice of project and areas of expertise.
Go to the Table of Content
The first part of the course will use a few fundamental mathematical
principles-coordinate systems and transformations-to introduce 3D
modeling. Group project management principles, from a business
management perspective, will be introduced with the assistance of a guest
lecturer in Management. Basic 2D and 3D design principles will be
introduced with the assistance of a guest lecturer in Art.
The contributions of disciplines in the second part of the course will
vary, depending on the nature of the projects. Computer programming can
be used to control the behaviors of objects in a VRML world. Effective
3D scenes require compelling designs and accompanying music compositions
or sounds. Other disciplinary perspectives will be used by students'
projects that produce scientific visualizations. For example, one group
might construct an animated molecular dynamics model, which would benefit
from the expertise of students in chemistry, physics, computer science,
and mathematics. Another group might build a room in which moving
objects obey the laws of kinematics, requiring physics and computer
science majors. If the room happens to be part of a historical
re-enactment, an appropriate setting might be created by art, theater or
music majors. A regional planning major may model a new neighborhood or
industrial complex in collaboration with sociology or business majors.
Hotel and restaurant management majors may team up with art and music
majors to experiment with innovative restaurant designs.
Go to the Table of Content
In the first part of the course, students will learn fundamental
methodologies for building VRML environments. They will immediately put
these into practice through the seven assignments listed in the course
outline. Additionally, two exams will be used to assess the students'
mastery of these methodologies.
In the second part of the course, students will design and implement
their group projects. The course outline describes the details of this
process. Students will engage in synthetic reasoning in the project
selection process, in the project design, and in the project
implementation. Project selection will be a group process. Individual
students will propose project ideas along with discussions of the
projects' feasibility and expertise requirements. The class as a whole
will critique the project proposals. Since 3D modeling is
interdisciplinary, students will engage in synthetic reasoning in
developing their project proposals. The instructor will form
interdisciplinary teams. Each team will design a project plan and
implement one of the feasible projects. These teams will synthesize the
principles from the first part of the course along with their own
disciplinary expertise to complete their projects. The project design
process will require analytical reasoning in addition to synthetic
reasoning. The teams must be able to decompose the scope of their work
into discipline-specific components so that they can assign appropriate
tasks to their diverse team members.
During the entire process, groups will present progress reports to
the class in order to solicit feedback from the entire class' broader
range of perspectives. Students will draw from an extensive collection
of resource materials-both books and Web resources-in building their VRML
projects. The interdisciplinary nature of 3D modeling will force
students to pull together resources from several disciplines.
Go to the Table of Content
- Students will select a multidisciplinary 3D visualization project.
- Students will implement effective small-team project management
strategies.
- Students will integrate their disciplines into multidisciplinary
projects.
- Students will implement a design plan for the completion of a
multidisciplinary 3D visualization project and view their projects from
multiple perspectives.
- Students will present their multidisciplinary 3D visualization
projects to their peers and the University community.
- Students will publish materials on the Web in HTML and VRML.
- Students will associate rotation vectors and rotation angles with
rotations of 3D objects.
- Students will associate 3 by 3 matrices with transformations in space
- Students will publish their 3D visualization projects on the Web
- Students will associate 3D coordinates with points in space.
Go to the Table of Content
- Introduction (2 days)
Nature of synthesis and purpose of the course.
Video on importance and use of visualization.
Explorations of VRML examples (navigation and familiarization with
equipment.)
Guest Speaker: Joel Welling from Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center will
speak on scientific visualization.
Assignment #1: Find uses of visualization and VRML examples on
the Web, preferably in their own disciplines.
- VRML Overview (3 weeks)
3D Coordinate Systems (Cartesian.)
VRML nodes (all explained except matrix transformations.)
Assignment #2: Modify given VRML files.
Matrix transformations.
Assignment #3: Matrices as transformations (both computer and manual
exercises.)
VRML design strategies.
Assignment # 4: Using transformations to alter duplicates of a prototype
object.
VRML behaviors.
- Project management (1 1/2 weeks)
Introduction to HTML
Assignment # 5: Create a personal web page.
Models and or strategies for effective small-team project management.
Guest Speaker: Ramesh Soni, IUP's Management Department, will speak on
group management.
Assignment #6: Work on small self-selected VRML project in groups of three.
- 3D visualization and graphic design (1 week)
Examples in various fields
Assignment #7: Students find examples and/or problems in their field that
can use 3D graphics.
Limitations of visualization with VRML - cannot display volumetric data.
Graphic design principles, 2D computer graphics
Guest Speaker: Susan Donley, Digital Alchemy, will speak on graphic
design issues in 3D graphics.
Part II
- Project selection (1 week)
- Each student will propose at least two projects, suggest expertise
areas needed for each and include an analysis of the feasibility of each
project.
- The whole group decides on the expertise needed and feasibility of all
of the proposed projects. If not enough feasible projects are suggested
we will return to the previous step.
- Students submit preferences for projects they want to work on and, if
desired, team members preference.
- Instructor selects projects o
be implemented and assigns team members
to each project. Consultation with students may be necessary, for example
if a single person with some expertise needs to be assigned to several
projects.
- Project Implementation (6 weeks)
- Implementation plan
Each team will present to the class a project implementation plan that
must include a timetable for the project and benchmarks for the progress
reports. The class will approve each project's implementation plan.
- Implementation
Groups give biweekly progress reports prepared in HTML. These reports
must include an evaluation of adherence to the implementation plan's
timetable. If needed a modified timetable should be presented.
- Difficulties and new ideas encountered are shared with the entire
class. If appropriate, the class will offer suggestions for possible
solutions to problems.
- Final project presentations are given first to the class and then
to an
external audience (possibly outside of class time to accommodate an
external audience.)
- Presentation of Final Product (1 week)
- Components of final product published on the Web
- Project description intended for a general audience
- Project advertisement
- Web-published final product
- Suggestions for future development
- Components of in class presentation
- Project description
- Evaluation of the implementation plan
- Presentation of the final product
- Evaluation of the value of the product to others
- Suggestions for future development
- Components of external audience presentation
- Project description intended for a general audience
- Presentation of the final product
- Evaluation of the value of the product to others
- Suggestions for future development
Go to the Table of Content
20 % Exams
Two exams on the topics:
3D Coordinate systems and transformation, VRML
Project management, 3D visualization and graphic design.
The exams are not synthetic in nature but will assess the proficiency
achieved in the background material needed to work on the
projects.
30 % Assignments as described in course outline
The first five assignments will familiarize students with VRML worlds,
the Web, basics of coordinate systems and transformations. The last two
assignments are more synthetic. Assignment 6 is designed to have the
students implement effective small-team management skills before the
final projects are initiated. Assignment seven is designed to initiate
the process of selecting themes for the final project.
50 % Final Project
The final project work is all of a synthetic and multidisciplinary
nature. Each project will use mathematics, computer science and
management. Most of the projects will also use art and music. Other
disciplines will be incorporated into individual projects and will vary
based on the background of the team members and project's needs. Students
will need to apply all the skills learned during the first part of the
course and their own disciplinary background for the completion of the
project. A breakdown of the different components (and weights) for the
evaluation of the final project follows.
- 8 % Design specifications
Including timetable, benchmarks, analysis of expertise needs.
- 18 % Project implementation
Grading will be based on the biweekly reports. These reports will include
an evaluation of adherence to the implementation plan's timetable.
Possibly a modified timetable and difficulties and new ideas encountered.
- 8 % Final project presentations
There are two separate presentations intended for different audiences.
Components of in class presentation
- Project description
- Evaluation of the implementation plan
- Presentation of the final product
- Evaluation of the value of the product to others
- Suggestions for future development
Components of external audience presentation
- Project description intended for a general audience
·
- Presentation of the final product
·
- Evaluation of the value of the product to others
- Suggestions for future development
- 8 % Project publication
The final product will be published using both HTML and VRML to the Web
and served from the Mathematics Department's WWW server.
Components of final product published on the Web.
- Project description intended for a general audience
- Project advertisement
- Web-published final product
- Suggestions for future development
- 8 % Individual contribution
Each student will get an individual grade for this component based on a
self-report and peer evaluations from the other members of the project group.
Go to the Table of Content
Selections from:
Visualization
R. S. Wolff and L Yaeger, Visualization of Natural Phenomena,
Springer-Verlag, New York, 1993.
Virtual Reality Modeling Language
A. L. Ames, The VMRL Sourcebook, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1996.
E. Yewell, D. Nadeau, and J. Moreland, VRML Repository, 1995-1996
http://www.sdsc.edu/vrml/,
(March 20, 1997)
Silicon Graphics, Inc., VRML Site, 1996, http://vrml.sgi.com, (March 20, 1997)
D. Maxwell, Tenochtitlan, 1997,
http://vrml.sgi.com/handbook, (March 20, 1997)
Silicon Graphics, Inc., Jupiter and its Moons, 1997,
http://vrml.sgi.com/worlds/vrml2/jupiter/index.html, (March 20,
1997)
Group Problem Solving
R. S. Baron, N. L. Kerr, and N. Miller, Group Process, Group Decision,
Group Action, Brooks/Cole Publishing, Pacific Grove, California, 1992.
Web Design and Publishing
L. LeMay, Teach Yourself Web Publishing With HTML 3.2 in 14 Days,
Sams.net, Indianapolis, 1996.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, A Beginner's Guide to
HTML, 1997,
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html,
(April 7, 1997)
Adobe Systems, Inc., Adobe Photoshop Tips and Techniques, 1997,
http://www.adobe.com/studio/tipstechniques/photoshop.html, (March 24,
1997).
Other References
Visualization
E. R. Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Graphics
Press, Cheshire, CT, 1992.
E. R. Tufte, Envisioning Information, Graphics Press, Cheshire, CT, 1990.
Virtual Reality Modeling Language
J. R. Vacca, VRML: Bringing Virtual Reality to the Internet, AP
Professional, Boston, 1996.
J. Hartman and J. Wernecke, VRML 2.0 Handbook, Addison Wesley Developers
Press, 1996.
R. Lea, K. Matsuda, K. Miyashita, Java for 3D and VRML Worlds, New Riders
Publishing, Indianapolis, 1996.
Group Problem Solving
H. J. Brightman, Group Problem Solving: An Improved Managerial Approach,
Georgia State University, Business Publication Division, Atlanta, 1988.
A. L. Delbecq, A. H. Van de Ven, and D. H. Gustafson, Group Techniques
for Program Planning: A Guide to Nominal Group and Delphi Processes,
Scott, Foresman, Glenview, Illinois, 1975.
C. M. Moore, Group Techniques for Idea Building, Sage Publications,
Newbury Park, 1987.
S. Worchel, W. Wood, and J. A. Simpson, editors, Group Process and
Productivity, Sage Publications, Newbury, California, 1992.
Web Design and Publishing
W. Stanek, Web Publishing Unleashed: HTML, CGI, SGML, VRML, JAVA,
Sams.net, Indianapolis, 1996.
P. Seaman and J. Cline,Website Sound, New Riders Publishing,
Indianapolis, 1996.
L. Weinman, Designing Web Graphics 2, New Riders Publishing,
Indianapolis, 1996.
Go to the Table of Content
Students will need access to VRML display software on 15-20 computers.
This software is available freely over the Internet. The Mathematics
Department has a computerized classroom of 31 Macintosh computers. VRML
display software will be installed on this equipment and the synthesis
course will be scheduled to meet in this classroom.
About 6-8 copies of VRML development software will also be required.
Ideally, two of these copies would be installed on high-performance Unix
workstations manufactured by Silicon Graphics, Inc., and the remaining
copies would be installed on Macintoshes. Four Mathematics Department
faculty have applied for a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to
purchase these workstations. However, if the grant proposal is
unsuccessful, the department will purchase development software for
installation on departmental Power Macintoshes. The March 1997 issue of
Internet Magazine recommends the $69 Internet 3D Space Builder 2.0 from
Paragraph, Inc.
The instructors will also need an overhead display system for classroom
demonstration. A display system is currently available in the
department's computerized classroom of Macintoshes. If the NSF grant
proposal is successful, it will fund the purchase of a high-resolution
display for the Silicon Graphics workstations.
See Required Readings
Go to the Table of Content
For publication in Semester-by-semester Undergraduate Course Schedule
Topic Title:
Building 3D Models for the Web
Prerequisites:
basic computer literacy (word processing and email)
and 73 sh completed
Professor:
H. Edward Donley
Go to the Table of Content
Combine forces with creative students from other disciplines to
build your own virtual worlds.
Learn the basics of three-dimensional (3D) computer multimedia and use
Virtual Reality Modeling Language to publish interactive 3D models on the
Web. Possible multidisciplinary group projects are: theater set designs,
fly-through sculptures, manufacturing process designs, walk-through
urban environments, virtual tours of living organisms, reconstructed
archeological sites, restaurant and other commercial interiors, and
animated molecular
models. Students from a variety of majors are encouraged to enroll so
that diverse viewpoints can be applied to the projects. See http://www.ma.iup.edu/~hedonley/ls499/.
Go to the Table of Content
Typical Readings (provide author and short title):
R. S. Wolff and L Yaeger, Visualization of Natural Phenomena (1993)
A. L. Ames, The VMRL Sourcebook (1996)
D. Maxwell, Tenochtitlan, VRML Model (1997)
Silicon Graphics, Inc., Jupiter and its Moons, VRML Model, (1997)
R. S. Baron, N. L. Kerr, and N. Miller, Group Process, Group Decision,
Group Action (1992)
L. LeMay, Teach Yourself Web Publishing With HTML 3.2 in 14 Days (1996)
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, A Beginner's Guide to
HTML (1997)
Adobe Systems, Inc., Adobe Photoshop Tips and Techniques (1997)
Go to the Table of Content
Go to Ls 499 Main Page.
Synthesis
Summary
Course Objectives