Khronos Aims at 2010 For In-Browser WebGL 3D Graphics

By Geoff Duncan August 4, 2009

Khronos Aims at 2010 For In-Browser WebGL 3D Graphics

The Khronos Group—the same industry consortium that manages the development of standards like the OpenGL 3D platform—has announced it is targeting the first half of 2010 for its first release of WebGL, a hardware-accelerated 3D platform for Web browsers based on OpenGL ES 2.0. Originally announced at the Game Developers Conference back in March 2009, the idea is to leverage recent developments in browser technology—like substantially accelerated JavaScript engines and the HTML 5 Canvas element—to bring real 3D graphics to Web browsers…without using a browser plug-in.

The WebGL working group is working on a royalty-free standard that will bind the Open GL ES 2.0 standard to JavaScript, enabling developers to create 3D graphics within a browser on any platform that supports the OpenGL or OpenGL ES graphics standards. The result could be a new breed of interactive and visually compelling Web applications that don’t require proprietary technology like Adobe Flash; in theory, WebGL could even open up the possibility of lightweight gateways into OpenGL-based virtual worlds like Second Life or World of Warcraft, without requiring plug-ins or client software. The WebGL working group is aiming at a platform- and browser-agnostic standard; Khronos specifically indicated the group is working on on portable, secure shader programs.

Members of the Khronos Group include Nvidia, AMD, Google, Ericsson, Mozilla, and Opera.

Editors' Recommendations

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Computing

Samsung has a 3D gaming monitor that doesn’t need glasses — and it actually works

Lies of P on Samsung's glasses-free 3D gaming monitor at CES 2024.

I've never been interested in the glasses-free 3D craze that's carried on for years, but Samsung finally sold me. It showed off a new concept for a glasses-free 3D monitor at CES 2024, and I had a chance to try it out. And I'm probably just as shocked as you are that it actually works.

This isn't a product -- not yet, at least -- but a bit of technology that Samsung is showing off early. It's the aptly-named Samsung 2D/3D monitor right now. The monitor works with eye tracking. Two cameras at the top of the display track your eyes, and they can transform any game from a flat 2D image into 3D.

Computing

Lenovo’s glasses-free 3D monitor has arrived, and it looks awesome

A 3D visual to represent the experience on the Lenovo ThinkVision 27 3D monitor.

Lenovo has a new 27-inch 4K monitor that can render 3D content without the need for glasses. First showcased at IFA 2023, the ThinkVision 27 3D employs proprietary hardware and software technology that projects separate images to each eye, creating a 3D effect that appears to bring images to life.

The display includes a switchable lenticular lens and real-time eye-tracking technology paired with accompanying software, known as 3D Explorer, that features a 3D player and a software development kit (SDK) to create 3D applications. Essentially, the monitor is targeted at content creators, including 3D graphic designers and developers.

Computing

What is a 3D printer, and how much do they cost?

A Monoprice MP10 3D Printer is creating an octahedron in blue plastic.

It's been a while since 3D printers became available and started allowing people to create 3D objects in the real world right from their own home.

If you're interested in getting a rundown of what 3D printers are, how they work, how much they cost, and what you could do with them, you've come to the right place.
What is a 3D printer?
A Monoprice MP10 3D printer creates an octahedron in blue plastic. Monoprice