Related links on the Okino WEB site:
Toronto, Canada. July 1st 2002 - Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. today announced integral support for the HSF (HOOPS Stream File) file format via an export converter module for Okino's award winning NuGraf Rendering System, PolyTrans 3D Translation System, PolyTrans-for-3DSMAX, PolyTrans-for-XSI and PolyTrans-for-Maya software products. Okino also announced licensing of the HOOPS Stream Toolkit from Tech Soft America for the accurate creation of highly compressed HSF files. The HSF format is appropriate for visualization at all phases of the design-manufacture-commerce process chain including CAD/CAM/CAE and related downstream applications all of the way through to e-commerce. In addition to providing the kind of detailed information needed for engineers to work with an intelligent model, HSF is a compressed, stream-capable format with concepts such as environment mapping, shadow rendering, textures, transparency, etc. and as such is ideal for streaming 3D file content across the Internet from WEB sites to cross-platform WEB clients.
The new HSF export converter in Okino's PolyTrans and NuGraf software provides an ideal and seamless translation path from all major 3D file formats and modeling programs into the .hsf file format. The new export converter also allows users to directly export HSF files from 3DS MAX, Maya and Softimage|XSI via the special native plug-in versions of PolyTrans for these respective programs.
"For several years I have been actively seeking to support a 3D WEB streaming file format in our PolyTrans/NuGraf software packages that would be accepted industry wide as well as impose no broadcast license fees when the 3D models are displayed from a WEB server," said Robert Lansdale, President of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. "With the 3D WEB streaming industry fragmented between so many file formats and standards it was a dream come true when Tech Soft America and Spatial announced the OpenHSF Initiative on October 18th 2001. The next day we pledged our support for the HSF file format and our involvement with the OpenHSF Initiative. HSF is a good, all around file format to stream compressed 3D model data across the WEB to clients on Windows and UNIX machines. HSF is one of the first open file formats that allows 3D context to be displayed on WEB sites with no broadcast license fees involved, making HSF an easy to use, dependable and cost effective 3D WEB publishing file format."
Added Ron Fritz, Managing Partner for Tech Soft America, "This new support from a respected 3D format conversion company such as Okino Computer Graphics is a great complement to the support from content generators such as Dassault Systems, PTC, SolidWorks, CADKEY and others. Okino's new support is a reflection of the momentum of the OpenHSF Initiative and the rising popularity of the HSF format."
Key Features of the HSF File Format
- Open Format: HSF is an open format that is being implemented across the 3D software industry.
- No broadcast license fees required to place HSF content on a WEB site.
- Streaming: HSF is a stream-capable format with support for storing levels-of-detail, initial camera position, etc - as well as the ability for developers to apply custom logic for specific streaming prioritization.
- Compression: HSF files are highly compressed for efficient transmission over networks using both custom geometric and general file-wide compression techniques.
- Cross-Platform: All major Windows and UNIX platforms (including Linux) are supported for viewing HSF content.
- Free Players: Free viewers are already available for the basic viewing of HSF models.
- Wide industry support from dozens of key companies, including Dassault Systems, PTC, SolidWorks, IronCAD, Alias|Wavefront, Ansys, CADKEY, TGS, Informative Graphics, DaimlerChrysler, Transcendata and many others
What types of applications can use the HSF format?
HSF is useful for applications in the domains of design, analysis, digital mock-up, machining, view & mark-up, and e-commerce. HSF allows for the same visualization format to be used through all phases of the "art-to-part" process and all of the way through to point-of sale. This flexibility is critical given the trend toward "mass customization" where supplier and customer involvement is occurring further and further up the design process chain and, as such, the line where "e-commerce" begins continues to blur. What this trend reveals is that there should not be a separate format for visualization during the design, analysis and manufacturing phases and another at the point of e-commerce. There is no longer a firm wall between those domains and customers continue to require more sophisticated information about the product. HSF will handle the detailed needs of engineering as well as the lighter weights required for viewing at the point of purchase or during product marketing.
About the OpenHSF Initiative
The OpenHSF Initiative supplies the complete solution for engineering visualization interoperability. It is an industry-wide effort to establish a common, open and robust format for sharing visualization data between users of disparate engineering applications through the publishing of the HOOPS Stream Format (HSF) specification. With the publication of the OpenHSF Specification document, the entire industry now has complete access to the robust HOOPS Stream Format (HSF), which allows for the intelligent, stream-capable sharing of visualization data between disparate engineering applications. Okino Computer Graphics has licensed the HOOPS Stream Toolkit from Tech Soft America in order to publish highly efficient and compressed HSF files, compliant with the OpenHSF Specification document. The OpenHSF Advisory Council has been established to ensure the OpenHSF Specification continues to address the needs of the OpenHSF community and remains open and available to all interested parties. To find out more about the powerful HSF format, the OpenHSF Initiative and view sample streaming files, visit www.openhsf.org.
Major Features of the Okino HSF Export Converter:
- Exports all polygon mesh geometry, vertex normals, UV texture coordinates and materials from within PolyTrans.
- Lights and camera export with controls to balance the lighting levels.
- Various levels of compression: LZ file compression, bit-level vertex normal compression, vertex coordinate array compression and polygon connectivity compression.
- Ability to create a user-specified number of LOD (level of detail) nodes for the HSF file, allowing small, medium and then full scale models to stream down to the HSF viewing application program.
- The ability to import all major bitmap file formats and embed them directly inside the HSF file for streaming.
- Options to automatically create a WEB page with the HSF viewer and file embedded, ready for WEB publishing.
Applicable Okino WEB pages
The following are pertinent pages on the Okino WEB site relating to this press release:
- HSF exporter online documentation and specs
- HSF exporter gallery
- NuGraf home page
- PolyTrans home page
- Supported file formats
- List of notable users
- Customer testimonials and magazine reviews
- Recent Okino press releases, including this one.
Available Through VARs
The HSF export converter is available when purchased with Okino's "NuGraf Rendering System" or PolyTrans baseline products. Both are available directly from Okino Computer Graphics and through a growing number of Value Added Resellers (VARs) in the design, CAD, real-time content and multimedia markets. Fully functional demonstration versions (with minor limitations) of the software are available through Okino's Internet WEB site at http://www.okino.com.
Product Pricing
For product pricing, to locate an authorized VAR or for customer inquiries, please contact Okino Computer Graphics at (905) 672-9328 or toll free at (888) 3D-OKINO (1-888-336-5466).
System Requirements
NuGraf and PolyTrans operate efficiently with Pentium-based computers equipped with any version of Microsoft Windows, 128MB of RAM, a SVGA video card, and a hard disk with 80Mb of available space. 3D OpenGL graphics hardware accelerators, as well as native support for NVIDIAŽ accelerated video cards, are supported for Microsoft Windows but are not required.
Company Backgrounds
Founded in 1991 and based in Toronto, Ontario, Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. is an industry leader in the development and deployment of 3D model/scenes/NURBS/animation translation technology (PolyTrans), 3D photo-realistic rendering software (NuGraf) and OEM developer software (NuGraf Toolkit). Okino software is used the world over by all major Fortune 1000 companies, production studios, and 3D content creation, game development, CAD, engineering and product design companies. For more information on Okino Computer Graphics, please call 905-672-9328 or visit Okino Computer Graphics' Internet WEB site at http://www.okino.com.
Tech Soft America (TSA) provides premier customer driven development tools, consulting and support services enabling its partners to rapidly deliver world-class technical software. TSA develops the HOOPS 3D Application Framework, HOOPS Stream Toolkit and HOOPS Net Server, all components designed to dramatically simplify the design, development and maintenance of high-performance, interactive 2D and 3D applications built for PCs, UNIX workstations, Linux and the Web. HOOPS technology has been incorporated into over 125 commercial software applications, including many of the leaders in CAD/CAM and CAE software. The company maintains corporate headquarters in Oakland, California and can be reached at http://www.hoops3d.com.
NuGraf and PolyTrans are registered trademarks of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. Okino is a trademark of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. HOOPS is a registered trademark and HSF is a trademark of Tech Soft America. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.