Using VRML as a 3D extension of a WWW product library

This paper gives an overview of the new forthcoming quasi-standard VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) and its impacts on the World Wide Web (WWW). Product Libraries, based on the WWW can be enhanced to the third dimension by converting geometry data to VRML and use a "standard" VRML-browser for viewing. This allows for higher information rate with less communication. In 2D, various high resolution images are needed to get the same impression of a product than after viewing the geometry interactively from all sides. To make existing geometry viewable in the available VRML browsers, we also discuss the converters which transform those geometry files to VRML.