Apple, Adobe and Nvidia among others to extend open USD standard for 3D content
[09:59 Wed,2.August 2023 by Rudi Schmidts]
Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk and NVIDIA, along with the Joint Development Foundation (JDF), a subsidiary of the Linux Foundation, yesterday announced the formation of the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD). The goal of this alliance is to further standardize, evolve and grow Pixar's Universal Scene Description (USD) technology.
By further developing the Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) format, it is hoped that this will ultimately become a universal 3D format for virtually every conceivable 3D application. Thus, the format should be able to describe, assemble, and simulate large 3D projects - supporting an ever-widening variety of 3D-enabled products and services.
OpenUSD was originally developed by Pixar Animation Studios and has been used to describe 3D scenes, primarily for movie content. The Alliance now intends to develop written specifications detailing the features of OpenUSD. This will enable greater compatibility and broader adoption, integration and implementation, and allow inclusion in the specifications of other standards bodies. The JDF, subsidiary of the Linux Foundation, has been selected as the home of the project because it will enable open, efficient, and effective development of the OpenUSD specifications while providing a path to recognition by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Looking at the members of the alliance, it is clear that very different interests for very different media requirements are to be brought under one 3D hat here. Apple sees the format as the basis for AR/VR experiences, Adobe focuses on the use of a central 3D database for various cloud applications, and Nvidia talks about 3D worlds for industrial digitization, which could fill Nvidia's dream of the Digital Twins in the Omniverse with practical content in the medium term.
Not on the list of founding members is Blackmagic Design, for example, whose latest Fusion Studio version 18.5. also already integrates support for importing USD scenes. Blender or Nuke also already support USD and, last but not least, the support in the Unreal Engine should make an extension of this format for virtual production environments exciting. In fact, OpenUSD could become THE universal exchange format for 3D worlds of any kind. And thus might already be interesting enough for media creators to take a closer look at it.
More information about the AOUSD and how to get involved is available at here. If you want to find out about the current state of affairs, you can virtually visit a panel discussion on the topic of USD on August 6, 2023 via this website of the Academy Software Foundation.
;)
