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This page provides you with some insights about the HOOPS Visualize roadmap. If you are interested in providing input or collaborating on any of the projects below, please contact HOOPS Visualize's Product Manager or Tech Soft 3D support.
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Fix regressions or high priority issues
Deliver updated formats to reduce availability delays
Release Schedule
Provisional dates – Subject to change
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Version
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Release Date
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HPS 2021 U1
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2021/02/16
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HPS 2021 SP1
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2021/04/13 2021/04/20
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HPS 2021 SP1 U1
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HPS 2021 SP2
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Jul 6, 2021 SP2 is delayed, new targeted release date is
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HPS 2022
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2021/12/14
See the HOOPS Target General Availability Dates.
Format Updates Plan
Provisional plan – Subject to change
Format | Version |
|---|---|
Sketchup |
2023 | HPS 2023 SP2 |
Additionally, refer to the HOOPS Exchange Roadmap for Format Updates Plan, if applicable.
Short-term projects
Projects planned to be delivered in next release (next 4 months)
IFC Improvements (through Exchange Sprocket)
Support of additional classes and information that will help model analysis and querying. This will include both the semantic information and being able to display the relationships graphically.
Spatial relationships: Project, Site, Building, Story, Spaces, Walls.
New classes: Openings.
Optimizations for Pipes and Beams
Support and display of Mates (through Exchange Sprocket)
This project will focus on delivering support of the CATIA V5 mates to help applications in Manufacturing simulation, Robotic, Kinematics Analysis and more generate a kinematics model of the assembly.
Mates will be supported both semantically and graphically.
Note that the support of Mates for other formats might be considered in future release cycles.
Improved performance of text
Models which include many text geometries(such as seen in PP&M models) can see a negative performance hit. This project is designed to allow Visualize to use hardware acceleration on text entities.
New platform: Support of Apple Silicon platform
HOOPS Visualize will be ported to Apple's new ARM64 architecture. This is critical for partners using HOOPS Visualize with toolkits such as Electron, delivering a more native application experience (rather than web based).
Beta support was already provided with HOOPS Visualize 2021.
Android AR Sandbox Improvements
The Android sandbox will have its AR Core version updated, and include the ability to approximate the Visualize model lighting to the real world environment.
Parasolid Sprocket for Android
As Siemens has now released Parasolid for Android, Visualize will port the existing Parasolid sprocket to Android.
Point Clouds workflows improvements
OOC will be ported to all Visualize supported platforms, including mobile platforms.
Add the capability of importing point clouds into OOC via an API, instead of having to supply a file for preprocessing using an external executable
Mid-term projects
Planned or on-going projects that might be delivered mid-term (in one or two releases) – After 4 months / before 12 months
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Metal driver for MacOS and iOS
We are developing a new native Metal driver for use on MacOS and iOS. This is to protect our partners shipping on these platforms in case Apple removes OpenGL support.
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Volumetric meshes support
HOOPS Visualize will add support for volumetric meshes
LinuxARM and Windows 11 Support
Long-term projects
Longer term projects we are considering
Improved performance and scalability
This project will focus on improving frames per second performance and resource management optimization when working with large models, or data sets comprised of many files. Examples include BIM federation workflows and Digital Factory simulations.
PBR output through Exchange sprocket
The Exchange Sprocket will be updated to offer the ability to take a HOOPS Visualize model and export it to GLTF through HOOPS Exchange.
PBR improvements
Several improvements are planned for PBR in Visualize. This includes better support for environment mapping, image based lighting, and rendering which more closely matches what is coming in HOOPS Communicator. Finally we will add a mechanism to allow non-PBR models (such as CAD models) to be displayed in a PBR mode, providing higher quality renderings without having to re-author all data in a PBR application.
HoloLens 2 support
Support for HoloLens 2 will be added. This will include being able to render models to the HL2's view, but also provide a small set of example operators for the new user interface.
Long-term projects
Longer term projects we are considering
- Client-side Collision Detection
The long-term goal is to modernize HOOPS Visualize’s rendering pipeline and incrementally take advantage of modern hardware acceleration.
Perform Collision Detection analysis in Visualize
While HOOPS Exchange licensees can use an integration between Visualize and Exchange to check for collisions, this is not designed for interactivity. This project would aim to have collision detection performed on the client-side without reliance on Exchange.
Add support for implicit modeling
The generative design market is pushing the boundaries of what can be manufactured. However since they do not typically use standard BRep / single body mesh forms HOOPS Visualize cannot display these models efficiently. This project will be to investigate what changes would be required to make it easier for generative design applications to use HOOPS Visualize.
Investigate adding custom shader support to HOOPS Visualize
Currently, Visualize does not support custom shaders. This project would aim to expose the ability to insert your own shaders into Visualize's web viewer.
Investigate integration with Ceetron Desktop Components and Visualize
As part of the acquisition of Ceetron, we will investigate migrating their native CAE system to HOOPS Visualize
Vulkan or DX12 drivers
Adding support for new generation graphics APIs will enable Visualize to add new functionality and to also begin refactoring the 3DF GS to take advantage of modern GPU architecture.
Improved rendering quality
Several improvements are planned for PBR in Visualize. This should include better support for environment mapping, image based lighting, and rendering which is similar to the rendering in HOOPS Communicator. Finally we will add a mechanism to allow non-PBR models (such as CAD models) to be displayed in a PBR mode, providing higher quality renderings without having to re-author all data in a PBR application.
Visualize will improve our PBR rendering support, including clearcoat and specular materials. This is required to render many glTF models as expected.
Parasolid Sprocket for Android
As Siemens has now released Parasolid for Android, Visualize will port the existing Parasolid sprocket to Android.
PBR output through Exchange sprocket
The Exchange Sprocket will be updated to offer the ability to take a HOOPS Visualize model and export it to GLTF through HOOPS Exchange.