From Pixar to NVIDIA: The Rise of OpenUSD

Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) is a revolutionary framework developed by Pixar Animation Studios and has recently been embraced by NVIDIA. Over the past two decades, OpenUSD has transformed 3D scene creation, description, and sharing, enhancing the the creation and delivery of 3D content.

Image source: Pixar.com

THE GENESIS OF OPENUSD

In the early 2000s, Pixar confronted the escalating complexity of scenes in its animated films. The traditional methods for describing and organising these scenes were proving inadequate. To address this, Pixar devised Universal Scene Description (USD), a powerful, flexible framework for representing and exchanging 3D data.

CORE CONCEPTS OF OPENUSD

USD is underpinned by several essential concepts:

• Composition: USD allows the assembly of scenes from multiple sources, enabling simultaneous work by different artists and engineers on various parts of a scene. This modularity is crucial for large-scale productions.

• Layering: USD supports layering, enabling multiple versions of a scene to coexist. This feature is vital for iterative workflows where changes are made incrementally.

• Referencing: USD enables referencing, allowing assets to be reused across different scenes without duplication, ensuring efficiency and consistency.

• Variants: USD supports variants, maintaining different versions of an asset or scene within a single file, streamlining the creative process.

ADOPTION AND EVOLUTION AT PIXAR

Pixar's adoption of USD revolutionised its production pipeline, enhancing collaboration among artists, improving asset management, and streamlining rendering processes. Movies like "Finding Dory" and "Cars 3" showcase USD's capabilities, resulting in visually stunning and technically sophisticated animations.

KEY ADVANTAGEOUS AT PIXAR

• Scalability: USD's capacity to handle vast, complex scenes made it ideal for Pixar's ambitious projects.

• Interoperability: USD's open nature facilitated integration with various tools and software, enhancing workflow flexibility.

• Efficiency: USD's referencing and layering capabilities reduced redundancy and optimised resource usage.

• Collaboration: USD enabled seamless collaboration among artists, technical directors, and engineers, fostering a more cohesive creative environment.

Image source: Pixar.com

OPENUSD: THE OPEN-SOURCE INITIATIVE

Recognising USD's potential beyond Pixar, the studio made a strategic decision to open-source USD as OpenUSD. This initiative allowed the broader industry to leverage the technology, fostering innovation and standardisation in 3D content creation.

BENEFITS OF OPENUSD

• Industry Standardisation: OpenUSD has become a de facto standard for 3D scene description, facilitating interoperability across studios, software, and platforms.

• Community Collaboration: The open-source nature of OpenUSD encourages contributions from a global community of developers, artists, and engineers, driving continuous improvement.

• Innovation: OpenUSD's open framework has inspired new tools, plugins, and applications, pushing the boundaries of 3D content creation.

NVIDIA's INTEGRATION OF OPENUSD INTO OMNIVERSE

NVIDIA, a leader in graphics processing and AI, recognised the transformative potential of OpenUSD and integrated it into its Omniverse platform. Omniverse is a collaborative platform designed for real-time 3D simulation and design, perfectly complementing OpenUSD's capabilities.

CORE FEATURES OF NVIDIA'S OMNIVERSE

• Real-Time Collaboration: Omniverse allows multiple users to collaborate on the same scene in real time, regardless of their location, enabled by OpenUSD's robust composition and referencing features.

• Universal Compatibility: Omniverse supports various file formats and tools, thanks to OpenUSD's interoperability, ensuring a seamless workflow across different software.

• AI and Simulation: NVIDIA's expertise in AI and simulation enhances Omniverse's capabilities, offering advanced features like real-time physics, AI-driven content creation, and realistic simulations.

HOW OPENUSD ENHANCES OMNIVERSE

• Efficient Data Management: OpenUSD's efficient data management ensures even the most complex scenes can be handled with ease, allowing for smoother real-time collaboration.

• Consistency: OpenUSD's referencing and layering features ensure assets and scenes remain consistent across different production stages, reducing errors and rework.

• Flexibility: OpenUSD's modular architecture allows Omniverse users to customise their workflows and integrate various tools, enhancing flexibility and creativity.

FUTURE PROSPECTS: OPENUSD AND NVIDIA OMNIVERSE

The future of OpenUSD and its integration into NVIDIA Omniverse is promising. As technology evolves, leaders in the animation industry are committed to pushing the boundaries of 3D content creation and collaboration.

AI INTEGRATION

NVIDIA's advancements in AI will further enhance Omniverse's capabilities. AI-driven tools for content creation, simulation, and optimisation will leverage OpenUSD's flexible architecture, enabling more intelligent and efficient workflows.

EXPANDED INDUSTRY ADOPTION

As more industries recognise the benefits of OpenUSD and Omniverse, adoption is expected to grow. From architecture and automotive to media and entertainment, the potential applications are vast and varied.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The open-source nature of OpenUSD ensures its continuous evolution. Contributions from the global community will drive innovation, addressing new challenges and unlocking new possibilities.

CONCLUSION

The development of OpenUSD has been a game-changer for Pixar, revolutionising its production pipeline and enabling the creation of visually stunning animations. Open-sourcing USD as OpenUSD has had a profound industry impact, fostering standardisation and innovation.

NVIDIA's integration of OpenUSD into its Omniverse platform has amplified its benefits, providing a robust and flexible solution for real-time 3D collaboration and simulation. The synergy between OpenUSD and Omniverse is driving new levels of efficiency, creativity, and collaboration across various industries.

As technology continues to advance, the ongoing evolution of OpenUSD and its integration with AI will undoubtedly shape the next generation of 3D content creation and collaboration, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of digital innovation.

REFERENCES

1. Autodesk. (n.d.). Universal Scene Description | What is OpenUSD? Retrieved from Autodesk

2. Pixar Animation Studios. (n.d.). Universal Scene Description (USD) Overview. Retrieved from Pixar Animation Studios

3. NVIDIA. (2020). NVIDIA Omniverse: Collaborative Platform for Real-Time 3D Simulation and Design. Retrieved from NVIDIA

4. Autodesk. (2023). The Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD). Retrieved from Autodesk

5. Pixar Animation Studios. (n.d.). USD at Pixar: A Technical Overview. Retrieved from Pixar Animation Studios

6. NVIDIA. (n.d.). OpenUSD: A Transformative Framework for 3D Data. Retrieved from NVIDIA

7. Autodesk. (2022). How Autodesk Maya integrates USD workflows. Retrieved from Autodesk

8. Joint Development Foundation. (2023). Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD): Driving the Future of 3D Content Creation. Retrieved from Joint Development Foundation