3D User Interfaces with Java 3D

This book provides an extensive conceptual framework for 3D user interface techniques, and an in-depth introduction to user interface support in the Java 3D API, including such topics as picking, collision, and drag-and-drop. Many of the techniques are demonstrated in a Java 3D software framework included with the book, which also provides developers with many general-purpose building blocks for constructing their own user interfaces.

Applications and their use of 3D are approached realistically. The book is geared towards sophisticated user interfaces for the "everyday user" who doesn't have a lot of time to learn another application--much less a complicated one--and an everyday computer system without exotic devices like head mounted displays and data gloves. Perhaps the best description of this book is: "A roadmap from Java 3D to 'Swing 3D'."

Contents

Introduction

How to read this book

Acknowledgments

About the cover illustration

Part 1: 3D: the next generation

1: What's in a name

2: Patterns and constraints

3: Spaces and relations

Part 2: 3D user interface techniques

4: Control

5: Feedback

6: Visualization

7: Navigation

8: Manipulation

9: Access

Part 3: Java 3D user interface essentials

10: Java 3D introduction

11: UI spaces and the scene graph

12: Lights, shapes, textures and sounds

13: Actions and interactions

14: In a Java world

Part 4: Java 3D framework and examples

15: Why a framework?

16: Framework utilities

17: Control basics

18: Control actuation

19: Control intuition

20: Feedback

21: Visualization

22: Manipulation

23: Access

24: Wrap-up

Glossary

Index