Paper Info
Title
Building novel Web3D user interfaces: a case study from architecture and structural engineering
Abstract
In this paper, we describe and reflect on our experiences building a full-featured Web3D design tool for architects and structural engineers: the Structure And Form Analysis System (SAFAS). The SAFAS intends to tighten the design cycle for space frame structures by coupling an interactive 3D design interface with a structural simulation server. In this way, users can iteratively design, evaluate and compare their structures with real forces, loads and displacements. The client design tool was implemented in Java using a Model-View-Controller pattern, using the open-source Xj3D toolkit as the 3D 'View'. We describe the design and realization of a full-featured Web3D User Interface and application and demonstrate that the use of software design patterns provides improved compatibility and code re-use across platforms. We reflect on this experience and the fuzzy boundary between 'application' and 'general-purpose' scene graph standards.
Year
DOI
Venue
2013
10.1145/2466533.2466554
Web3D
Keywords
Field
DocType
design cycle,model-view-controller pattern,full-featured web3d user interface,form analysis system,structural simulation server,design interface,software design pattern,case study,structural engineering,web3d design tool,building novel web3d user,client design tool,structural engineer,software engineering
User experience design,Scene graph,Software design,Software engineering,Computer science,Structural pattern,Design tool,Human–computer interaction,User interface design,User interface,Java
Conference
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
2
0.45
4
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Nicholas F. Polys124125.33
Felipe Bacim21127.48
Mehdi Setareh3263.79
Brett Jones481.65