Build a Virtual World

Scientists have created a program that allows casual computer users to design 3-D trees, a development which may pave the way for almost anyone to build virtual worlds.

While it is possible for the millions who belong to popular virtual communities such as World of Warcraft or Second Life to make 3-D objects, only a select few are skilled enough to do so.

“And they are the ones who do it all,” said Vladlen Colton, an assistant professor at Stanford University who headed the software project, “which is one of the reasons why you don't see three-dimensional content on the web; because nobody can create it.”

To prove that sophisticated 3-D objects can be crafted easily, Colton focused on trees since botanists have already cataloged several species in great detail. Using this data, Colton’s research team put together a mathematical engine that spits out a variety of trees based on roughly 100 different attributes, such as trunk thickness and limb spacing.

Users of the software, entitled “Dryad,” can create a unique tree by simply using a mouse to navigate through a forest of options. Each change of direction modifies the tree’s appearance.

Dryad trees are truly 3-D and can be spun around or viewed from any angle. The free program can be downloaded at http://dryad.stanford.edu and used by any major modeling program.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Vladlen Koltun, Stanford University