MathGL3d is an interactive, OpenGL-based, 3D-graphics add-on for advanced scientific visualization with Mathematica. It allows real-time interaction with Mathematica graphics, with features such as rotation, animation, visual viewpoint, and light-source editing. The OpenGL-rendered images can be pasted into Mathematica notebooks and saved as PNG or EPS bitmap pictures. MathGL3d also exports to many common 3D file formats, including POV-Ray, VRML 2.0, QuickDraw 3D, DXF, and smooth shaded PostScript, and can read and import DXF and Geomview OFF files.
Who is it for?
Scientists who need extended and interactive 3D graphics
Hobbyists who need high-quality photo rendering
Advantages for professionals
MathGL3d exports to many common 3D file formats, including POV-Ray, VRML 2.0, QuickDraw 3D, DXF, and smooth shaded PostScript, and can read and import DXF and Geomview OFF files, providing an interface between the computational graphics of Mathematica and other powerful tools like Alias, POV-Ray, and other engineering and design visualization software.
MathGL3d makes it easy to prototype high-end scientific and design visualizations in a distributed and independent workflow. This is the perfect tool for prototyping with real-time rendering before full-blown production rendering.
Advantages for educators
MathGL3d can be used as a tool for teaching in all fields. One of the main features of MathGL3d that will help in a classroom setting is the interactivity it brings to Mathematica graphics.
General features
Highly integrated into Mathematica
OpenGL images and RealTime3D graphics can be pasted into the Mathematica front end
Real-time manipulation of the appearance of the graphics
Interactive editors for the camera, light sources, general appearance, and axes
Texture mapping and bump mapping--any Mathematica graphic, PNG bitmap or RasterArray can serve as a texture or bump map, and there is transparence
support for bitmap textures
Interactive, fast isosurface computation
Stereo rendering for hardware-supported stereo images, including anaglyph (red/cyan) and ChromaDepth
Export to various common 3D formats like POV-Ray, Renderman, VRML 2.0, and PLY
Export images as encapsulated PostScript, PNG, or TIFF
webMathematica-compatible, allowing use of interactive Mathematica 3D graphics as VRML files in webMathematica pages
Windows: OpenGL 1.4 or higher (actual graphics driver from the graphics card vendor)
Mac OS X: OpenGL 1.4 and an installed Cg-runtime from NVIDIA (included with the package)
Linux: OpenGL 1.4 or better with graphics driver from NVIDIA or ATI for Linux (closed-source drivers); moving the Cg libraries into the library path or having an installed Cg for Linux from NVIDIA (included with the package)
Examples
POV-Ray Tracing
The Persistence of Vision Raytracer (POV-Ray) is a high-quality, free tool for creating stunning three-dimensional graphics. MathGL3d can write input files for POV-Ray. This feature of MathGL3d can be used to produce photorealistic graphics from Mathematica . In this example we create a Möbius strip using Mathematica . The scene is then written to a POV-Ray input file and enhanced using the raytracer.
Medical Imaging MathGL3d makes it possible to interact with Mathematica 3D graphics in realtime. This feature is especially handy for handling large volumetric data such as that used in medical imaging applications. This example illustrates the various features of MathGL3d that can be used in analyzing medical imaging data.
MathGL3d sports an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to interact with 3D graphics. The user interface combines the functionality of Mathematica palettes with the control windows of MathGL3d .
MathGL3d with "View Point Control" and "Axis Control" windows
MathGL3d 4 
