VPython: Real-time 3D Visualization for Science and Engineering

VPython：科学与工程的实时 3D 可视化

• 批准号: 0108601
• 负责人: Bruce Sherwood
• 金额: $ 29.55万
• 依托单位: Carnegie-Mellon University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-10-01 至 2002-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0108601&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: VPython; Real; time; 3D; Visualization

Interdisciplinary (99) Physics (13) The project is developing software to make it easy for scientists, engineers, and their students to create computer models of physical systems that include real-time, 3D, interactive graphics. The value of 3D computer visualization in science and engineering education and research is widely recognized. 3D modeling of molecules in chemistry and biology is perhaps the most widely used 3D tool, whose high utility has justified the expensive development of appropriate software. Many math packages generate 3D representations of functions. However, more general use of 3D visualization, coupled to the flexibility of a general-purpose programming language, has been blocked by great technical difficulties which require high computer skills to overcome. This is particularly limiting for educational applications. Even in chemistry and biology where 3D tools exist, it is difficult or impossible for scientists to modify or extend these packages. These applications do not have the open-ended flexibility of a programming language. A new tool, VPython, makes it possible for many scientists and engineers, and students of science and engineering, to create 3D visualizations quickly and easily, coupled to the flexibility and power of a programming language. Moreover, these visualizations can be interactive in real time, transcending the limitations of a canned movie. The project is bringing VPython to a mature level of open source development, so that thereafter it can be easily maintained and extended, as a contribution to the infrastructure of science and engineering research and education.

跨学科 (99) 物理学 (13) 该项目正在开发软件，使科学家、工程师及其学生能够轻松创建物理系统的计算机模型，其中包括实时、3D、交互式图形。 3D计算机可视化在科学工程教育和研究中的价值得到广泛认可。 化学和生物学中分子的 3D 建模可能是使用最广泛的 3D 工具，其高实用性证明了开发适当软件的昂贵费用是合理的。许多数学包生成函数的 3D 表示。然而，3D 可视化的更普遍使用，加上通用编程语言的灵活性，一直受到需要高计算机技能才能克服的巨大技术困难的阻碍。这对于教育应用来说尤其受到限制。 即使在存在 3D 工具的化学和生物学领域，科学家也很难或不可能修改或扩展这些包。这些应用程序不具备编程语言的开放式灵活性。新工具 VPython 使许多科学家和工程师以及科学与工程专业的学生能够快速轻松地创建 3D 可视化，并结合编程语言的灵活性和强大功能。此外，这些可视化可以实时交互，超越了罐头电影的局限性。 该项目正在将 VPython 提升到开源开发的成熟水平，以便此后可以轻松维护和扩展，为科学和工程研究和教育的基础设施做出贡献。