The Application of X3D to the Interactive Learning of Wave Optics

Advances in Internet connections speeds and computer hardware means that web content has grown richer and more interactive for users. One such area is Web3D which has seen the emergence of ISO standard technologies such as VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and its XML-based (eXtensible Markup Language) successor X3D(eXtensible 3D). X3D, in particular, presents opportunities for further integration with existing web technologies for the extraction and display of meaningful data from 3D models. With the popularity of e-learning increasing among academic and training institutions, the use of Web3D content presents an opportunity to enhance learning for visually demanding subjects such as scientific disciplines.This paper applies this thinking to simulate a fundamental Physics topic with X3D and apply AJAX3D (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) techniques to develop an integrated web learning application.