Schmoozer(tm) 3D Web Browser
Schmoozer is a 3D web authoring tool and run time environment. Schmoozer is a Java framework on top of the Open Community(tm) core. Users can build virtual worlds from existing models available on the web or from models they create. Then the worlds are connected together, making seamless transitions with Open Community's highly scalable architecture. Users also collaborate by using Schmoozer's multi-user editing and chat features.
Background & Objective: Open Community is a commercial version of the SPLINE (Scalable Platform for Large Interactive Networked Environments) architecture developed at MERL. Open Community implements ISTP (Interactive Sharing Transport Protocol) a protocol that improves scalability and allows distributed real time collaborative applications to be built over a network with no central server. This allows many users to share their virtual worlds just like HTTP browsers are used with web pages today.
Technical Discussion: The Schmoozer Java framework provides a user interface for navigating worlds and a drag and drop system for constructing or extending shared worlds. Schmoozer provides content developers with VRML2 support and XML scripting. Additional Java programming allows application developers to build sophisticated GUI interactions for collaboration and session management within Schmoozer. Schmoozer also supports Java's dynamic classes that make it is easy to add new object behaviors at run time. And Schmoozer provides an open XML format for saving and restoring worlds.. The download has already received interest from key developers of web technologies. Schmoozer has been used by the MIT Architecture department. Schmoozer was recently featured in the book "Networked Virtual Environments" by Singahal and Zyda from Addison Wesley. Schmoozer is currently waiting for good applications that can make use of it's 3D VR architecture.
Technology Areas:
Net Services
Graphics
Modification Date: September 12, 2007