A distributed web-based virtual reality interface to database systems
Colette Jacobsen, Susan Kaugher, Farshad A. Fotouhi, Aashima Narula, Nitan Jadhav · 1998
A principal problem facing users of scientific or engineering databases is that of finding the correct data, due to a lack of detailed knowledge about the structure or schema of the available data. This paper discusses an approach to the design and development of a web-based interface that incorporate a visual model to access database information. This interface links a VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) world to a database, creating an accessible 3D query interface that eliminates the need to know database query language syntax, database structure, and VRML. The user views the virtual world and retrieves information from a connected database with the click of a button. The interface offers the ability to create dynamic 3D anchors and associates queries that relate to parts of a VRML world. The main advantage of this virtual design is the simplicity of data retrieval for the end user.