Metaverse One

Founded in 1991, Planet 9 was one of the Internets' first 3D content providers. Their mission is "building the next generation of data and software to bring 3D city interfaces to applications." Led by architect turned 3D web CEO David Colleen, Planet 9 is a long time leader in digital city creation and cutting edge applications. Planet 9's latest innovation is RayGun ™. RayGun is the first application to provide what David calls "Social Navigation". I got the chance to meet with David Colleen to ask him some questions about this first 2D and 3D geo -aware social network. Originally developed for Boeing and the US Army, RayGun combines the technologies of GPS tracking, route finding, friend finding and social networking functions all within a state of the art 3D interface. Users and their friends are shown in their correct locations so that they can share routes, text chat, share photos and videos or use our new push-to-talk feature. The first mobile mix...

Web3DStudents is a collaboration between students and professionals in the outreach, education, and development of the 3D web, web3D applications, and the mixed reality Metaverse. Our work is funded by various web3D projects we do for corporate and private clients. This money keeps us living and the computers running while we teach, learn, promote, develop, and help others in their migration to the 3D web. 2009 marks an important year for us as we start a series of Web3D Industry sponsored student projects with some of the biggest names around. These projects are 3D web mash-ups and mixed reality applications that will showcase the power of the web3D open standard, be available for all to use, and documented so other web3D students can learn the how-to for their own projects. To show our commitment to world change beyond those affiliated with the 3D web, Web3DStudents members are pledging that a decent portion of all our private work contracts this year will go toward humanitarian aid...

In San Francisco at One Market Street is the Autodesk Design Center, an interactive environment that highlights the impact of software and technology on the process of innovative design. The 16,500-square-foot Gallery, is the first space in the San Francisco Bay Area dedicated to the spirit of design innovation with over 20 exhibits. These include a small model of the California Academy of Sciences, a full sized Ford Shelby GT500, model of the Cathedral of Christ the Light, a huge Lego dinosaur, and the $100 laptop. The space is intended as a location where designers can discuss the latest in technology and be inspired by others' work. Designed to achieve a LEED -Commercial Interiors Platinum certification rating, the space takes green interior design to the highest level and includes daylight and views, recycled material, certified renewable lumber, local manufacturing and renewable energy. From another blog, Carl Bass ( Autodesk president and CEO) says, "The Autodesk Gal...

So surfing around the 3D web I came across a pleasant surprise. Media giant Warner Bros. is among the early adopters that has migrated over to the emerging 3D web. Using a browser plug-in that supports the 3D web open standard, I experienced this great precedent for virtual movie theaters. The scene itself loads fast, is graphically impressive, very spacious, and easy to navigate around. The categories of movies offered is simple to identify and requires nothing more than walking into that genre's theater room. Once inside the room, which is a nice recreation of an actual theater, one can select a movie to browse using a search menu from a friendly user interface with a variety of different options. Click to activate, watch the curtains draw, and enjoy what is shown. I have to comment on the interactive movie posters that when clicked, play the movie's trailer and offer options for purchasing the movie on DVD or from Itunes. With the total experience I am very impressed, all a...

Last week I donned my Web3D Consortium hat and participated in the second meeting of the Virtual Worlds Roadmap . Sponsored by Intel, Samsung, Electric Sheep Company , NGI Group , and Digital Space , the Virtual Worlds Roadmap seeks to increase the success rate of virtual world-based ventures and the productivity of investment through the publication and distribution of state-of-the-art thinking and analysis on: Visions of what value virtual world technology will bring to specific applications Technical and business barriers to achieving that value Case studies on successes to date A roadmap and timeline for achieving mass adoption of specific applications. This was an intimate group full of familiar faces from the virtual worlds space. The 3D web open standard (X3D) had great representation at the event from both the Web3D Consortium and Exit Reality . Many in the crowd were impressed by the power of the open standard. A series of various industry demos and applications I showed thro...