To view the VRML visualizations, you either need a browser that is VRML-capable (such as Netscape with a VRML plug-in attached) or a stand-alone VRML viewer. In the latter case, interaction with the VRML server works best when your browser is configured to start up your VRML viewer as a helper application. A large number of viewers and plugins (both commercial and free) are available for most platforms. You will get the best results from viewers that are VRML 2.0 compatible; however, some VRML 1.0 viewers may work as well. (This server has been developed using Cosmo Player and thus will probably work best.) To test out your viewer on some static VRML files, access the ADIL's VRML Highlights Page.
The VRML Server is currently under development with new features and capabilities on the way. (This includes a specialized VRML viewer written in Java!) Thus, your feedback will be extremely helpful in guiding this development.
Locating 3D Images in the Library
At this time, only those images of 3 or more dimensions (of
non-unit length) can be visualized. Eventually, ADIL users will be
able to search explicitly for 3D images in the Library using the
standard
Query Page; however, this functionality is yet supported. Until
then, one can consult the list of 3D
images currently in the ADIL.
This VRML server was developed by Paul Rajlich, George Baxter, and Polly Baker as part of the NCSA Radio Astronomy Imaging (RAI) Group.
Further development of the Java interface is underway, so your comments and suggestions would be extremely valueable to our effort to bring a powerful form of visualization to astronomical research. Please send mail to Paul Rajlich (prajlich@cs.uiuc.edu) or Ray Plante (rplante@ncsa.uiuc.edu).
