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Ok folks, so here it is. The beginning of the end of the mouse and 3D desktop controls. The first I saw of this was a craptastic video back in March of some guys fiddling with a glove and a wiimote to control SolidWorks.
Little did I know, a cool guy named Brian put up a video in January (below) demonstrating the simple concept with AutoDesk Design Review (ADR.) Now available from AutoDesk and even more simple is the ADR Wiimote add-in that requires no extra programming.
So, what do you think? Will you be using this to control your models next year? Is SolidWorks Labs working on a Wiimote add-in? I’d like to see all the presenters at SolidWorks World 2009 using a Wiimote for presentations. Even more I’d like to see some the technology that develops out of this.
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The brand spankin’ new 3D technology magazine, Develop3D, has just gone to print. You’ll definitely want to get your hands on this, because for one thing, yours truly is a columnist for the fine outfit based out of UK.
I gotta say, I’m not a regular industry magazine reader, but the way this is laid out and what I’ve seen of it already totally blows everything else out of the CAD-infested waters. If you want a fresh look at the technologies out there and what’s around the bend, check out the magazine and get your free subscription.
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SolidSmack has been around for just over a year and I’m lovin’ every bit of every juicy 3D/Tech/Design/SolidWorks Tip post I put up, but last night in the wee hours of a foggy night I wondered, “What the heck do all the wonderful people that visit SolidSmack like (not like) about the site?”
So, the fate of SolidSmack lies in the click of your mouse button, any comments you want to add, and my ability to totally ignore anything bad you say about me or the site.
I hope you have fun and I hope you provide some really detailed ideas or offer me money to stop blogging and finish my home renovation. Oh, I’ll still be your friend even if you say something mean.
What would you like to see on SolidSmack?
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If you look over the edge of your coffee cup you’ll notice everything is going 3D. There’s more news about 3D maps, 3D TV’s and 3D games than ever before.
Then I see this article from the January 1931 issue of Modern Mechanix about a 17,000 sq. ft. model of what modern day (1980) New York would look like.
“This model took 5 months to complete…built in an old blimp hanger…[with] the tallest tower of which is 40 feet high”
77 years later…
The $200,000 and 200 technical experts it took to build that plaster and glass modern version can be done at a fraction of the cost in a full 3D environment.
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Close your eyes. Imagine sending a plain ol’ PDF to someone. Ok, now imagine sending a 3D PDF… got that?
Now, picture being slapped out of your daze by the Adobe Acrobat development team and having the ability to send someone all your project files in a single PDF, upload, share and discuss it with others in real-time and create other documents in a Flash-based environment. Yeah, the shock is almost to much to take. Hold your excitement and check out the juicy details.
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No longer will you be isolated to two dimensions of movement with Google Maps. Google earth is all 3D and is one more step in bringing 3D visualization and usablility to the good ol’ internet. Plus, it’s open to developers to grow and manipulate.
“…there’s never been a way to build your own 3D web applications using Google Earth, the way you can with Google Maps… until now. you can…import 3D models from the web and overlay them anywhere on the planet …build 3D Google Sky mashups. You can also enable 3D buildings with a single line of JavaScript, …in the hopes that you’ll build the next great geo-based 3D application, and change (yet again) how we view the world.”
What does this mean for 3D Apps?
Right now this is just for mash-ups and visualization. We’re not creating 3D online yet. If nothing else, this plugin opens up the ideas that having large amounts of accessible 3D data online is possible. Building graphical program functionality into a web app, like Aviary Phoenix or Photoshop Express are doing, has been the highest reach, as of late, and performance is only as good as the bandwidth you have.
Developing parametric history-based or history free models online may seem like a far reach, but when the knowledge of both collide I think we’ll see some interesting advances with PLM, product design and how things are manufactured. CAD Mash-ups? PLM Life streams? Whatcha think?
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Yes folks, the CAD industry is alive and well with the raging pulse of an over-achieving band of gypsy circus performers.
You won’t see that description in the latest CAD Report from John Peddle Research though. What you will see, is a $5,000 price tag and words like renaissance, combined revenues, emerging economies and my favorite 3D.
What can you take away from the report, without dishing out the coin?
“The trend to 3D will continue but it’s important to note that not all of the 2D CAD users are going to make the transition to 3D. In many cases, the transition means a change of job description. Sometimes, the growth of 3D CAD is happening as professionals add CAD to their portfolio of tools. However, those 2D CAD users who do make the transition to 3D can expect to see increased job prestige and increased income.”
They also report a 20% increase of CAD users from 4.42 million in 2006 to 5.31 million in 2007. You all have been busy. It’s like a dang parasitic invasion of CAD proportions and it’s not slowin’ down. If you’ve bought the report, throw some interesting details our way in the comments.
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There’s not enough explodin’ stuff in CAD these days. It’s all sketch this, extrude that. So, when I saw this, I just had to show it to you. Some of the 3D visualization out there just amaze me. But this video, blows my mind.
“TSNStudio’s Extreme Loading® is an engineered simulation technology originally designed for structural analysis…Extreme Loading® quickly generates iterative visuals with the added realism of material based physics.”
Yeah, that’s not CAD right? We don’t need the fancy images and effects to build a suitable valve clamp huh? But you gotta admit, having a 3D CAD System that is as realistic as possible would be really fun to use.
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Out of NOWHERE, your overwhelming hunger to stack colorful blocks, creating cities and worlds unknown… has been satiated. CubeScape puts the ability in the tip of your mouse-clickin’ finger to build isometric creations, watch replays, and then save it to share your mad creation with others.
Cameron Adams of The man in Blue came up with this PHP, javascripty goodness and has therefore brought alpha-transparent pixels into an interactive 3D-ish environment. Nice. Some added editing and viewing capabilities and you’ve got a near-CAD experience. Regardless, this is another great venture into 3D visualization on the web.
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It looks like a pre-programmed bunch of flippy things making your phone look cooler than those plain jane iPhones, that’s what it looks like.
The HTC Touch Diamond is the next amazing 3D interface stuffed into a tiny 2.8 inch display to make you strap that drool-cup on again. Sure its tiny, but you can make all your 2D friends that much more removed from reality.
All you cool European folk can run out and get one now, the rest of us will have to wait till the last part of 2008 to gaze into the Windows Mobile® 6.1′in, Integrated GPS’in, 4 GB Internal Storin’, 3.2 MP shootin’ touch phone. There’s a cool video if ya click on the pic.
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Ok folks, so here it is. The beginning of the end of the mouse and 3D desktop controls. The first I saw of this was a craptastic video back in March of some guys fiddling with a glove and a wiimote to control SolidWorks. 
The brand spankin’ new 3D technology magazine, 
SolidSmack has been around for 
If you look over the edge of your coffee cup you’ll notice everything is going 3D. There’s more news about 3D maps, 3D TV’s and 3D games than ever before.
Close your eyes. Imagine sending a plain ol’ PDF to someone. Ok, now imagine sending a 3D PDF… got that?
The 
Yes folks, the CAD industry is alive and well with the raging pulse of an over-achieving band of gypsy circus performers. 
There’s not enough explodin’ stuff in CAD these days. It’s all sketch this, extrude that. So, when I saw this, I just had to show it to you. Some of the 3D visualization out there just amaze me. But this video, blows my mind.
Out of NOWHERE, your overwhelming hunger to stack colorful blocks, creating cities and worlds unknown… has been satiated. 
It looks like a pre-programmed bunch of flippy things making your phone look cooler than those plain jane iPhones, that’s what it looks like.
