Universal Scene Description
{{Short description|3D standard created by Pixar}}
{{Infobox file format
| name = USD
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| extension = .usd, .usda, .usdc, .usdz
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| developer = Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD)
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| genre = 3D computer graphics
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| url = {{url|https://aousd.org}}
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Universal Scene Description (USD) is a framework for interchange of 3D computer graphics data. The framework focuses on collaboration, non-destructive editing, and enabling multiple views and opinions about graphics data.{{Cite web|url=https://graphics.pixar.com/usd/docs/index.html|title=Introduction to USD|website=graphics.pixar.com|access-date=2020-01-19}} USD is used in many industries including visual effects, architecture, design, robotics, CAD, and rendering.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-16 |title=Pixar Universal Scene Description (USD) |url=https://developer.nvidia.com/usd |access-date=2022-06-26 |website=NVIDIA Developer |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://openusd.org/release/intro.html#what-can-usd-do | title=Introduction to USD — Universal Scene Description 24.08 documentation }}
== History ==
It is developed by Pixar and was first published as open source software in 2016, under a modified Apache license.{{Cite web |title=Pixar open-sources its Universal Scene Description {{!}} CG Channel |url=http://www.cgchannel.com/2016/07/pixar-to-open-source-its-universal-scene-description/ |access-date=2022-06-26 |language=en-US}} Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA, together with the Joint Development Foundation (JDF) of the Linux Foundation, announced the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD) on August 1, 2023 to "promote the standardization, development, evolution, and growth of Pixar's Universal Scene Description technology."{{Cite web |title=Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA Form Alliance for OpenUSD to Drive Open Standards for 3D Content|url=https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/announcing-alliance-for-open-usd-aousd |access-date=2023-08-03 |language=en-US}}
File formats
File formats used by the specification include:{{Cite web|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/apples-usdz-ar-file-format-what-you-need-to-know/|title=Apple's USDZ AR file format: What you need to know|last=Sanders|first=James|date=2018-06-05|website=TechRepublic|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-08-08}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018|title=USD Documentation : Usdz File Format Specification|url=https://graphics.pixar.com/usd/docs/Usdz-File-Format-Specification.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-02|website=Pixar Graphics Technologies}}
Support
- 3ds Max version 2022, with latest update as Public Beta, plus version 2023. Includes Import from USD and Export to USD.
- Autodesk Fusion 360 supports USD export since April 2022.
- Blender includes support for USD import and export as of Version 4.0.{{Cite web|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/files/import_export/usd.html|title=Universal Scene Description|access-date=2020-02-15}}[https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/3.0/Pipeline_Assets_IO Blender 3.0: Pipeline, Assets & IO - USD Importer][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spBpNlvbCgw USD Import and Export in Blender]
- Cinema 4D includes support for USD for import and export.{{Cite web |title=Supported File Formats |website=maxon.net |access-date=2023-04-08 |lang=de, en, es, fr, it, ja, ko, zh |url=https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4d/features/supported-file-formats}}
- Houdini includes an implementation of USD, for purposes of format interchange and scene editing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sidefx.com/products/houdini/solaris/|title=Solaris {{!}} SideFX|website=www.sidefx.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-19}}
- Autodesk Inventor – supports USD as of version 2023.
- Maya – supports USD as of version 2022.
- mesh2mesh (macOS) converts USD to and from other formats.{{Cite web|url=https://mesh2mesh.fluthaus.com/support.html#supported-formats|title=mesh2mesh Support - Supported Formats|access-date=2023-04-16}}
- Nvidia has announced support for USD in Omniverse, a graphics collaboration platform.{{Cite web|url=https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-omniverse|title=NVIDIA Omniverse™|date=2019-03-11|website=NVIDIA Developer|language=en|access-date=2020-01-19}}
- Davinci Resolve includes support for importing USD.{{Cite web|url=https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=179277&sid=a8b695228f2da22eaae596bf979c1f69|title=What's new in Davinci Resolve 18.5 beta|access-date=2023-04-17}}
- Fusion includes support for importing USD.{{Cite web|url=https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=185030|title=Release of Fusion Studio 18.5|access-date=2023-10-01}}
- Apple’s SceneKit supports {{Not a typo|.usdz}}{{cite news|first1=Katie|last1=Paul|access-date=2022-06-22|title=Meta and other tech giants form metaverse standards body, without Apple|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-other-tech-giants-form-metaverse-standards-body-without-apple-2022-06-21/|newspaper=Reuters|date=2022-06-21|via=www.reuters.com}} files for 3D model interchange.{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iosapps/usdz-3678479/|title=Everything you need to know about Apple's new USDZ augmented-reality file format|last=Casserly|first=Martyn|website=Macworld UK|access-date=2019-08-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/usdz-augmented-reality-apple-ios12/|title=Apple and Pixar created a new file format for augmented reality on your phone|last=Horaczek|first=Stan|date=2018-06-15|website=Popular Science|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-08-08}}
- Apple’s Reality Composer Pro supports {{Not a typo|.usdz}} files for its Reality Kit and visionOS ecosystem.
- Vectorworks 2023 Service Pack 3 onwards includes USD export and import
- Rhinoceros 3D though support is currently limited to v8 WIP (work in progress) and is not yet supported on the current stable release{{Cite web |date=2023-07-06 |title=Rhino 8 Feature: USD (Universal Scene Description) Export |url=https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/rhino-8-feature-usd-universal-scene-description-export/162467 |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=McNeel Forum |language=en}}
- Adobe Substance 3D{{cite web | url=https://openusd.org/release/usd_products.html | title=Products Using USD — Universal Scene Description 24.08 documentation }}
- Unreal Engine supports (.usd, .usda, .usdc, .usdz) though the importer is in beta right now.{{cite web | url=https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/talks-and-demos/pvRl/state-of-the-universal-scene-description-usd-format-in-unreal-engine | title=State of the Universal Scene Description (USD) format in Unreal Engine | Talks and demos }}
- KeyShot – supports USD (.usd, .usda, .usdc, .usdz)
- Autodesk VRED Professional 2025 (.usd, .usda, .usdc, .udsz)
See also
References
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External links
- [https://graphics.pixar.com/usd/docs/Introduction-to-USD.html Introduction to Universal Scene Description] by Pixar
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Category:Computer file formats
Category:3D graphics file formats
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