Universal Scene Description


Universal Scene Description 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. USD is used in many industries including visual effects, architecture, design, robotics, CAD, and rendering.
WWW Official Site𝕏 openusd

History

It is developed by Pixar and was first published as open source software in 2016, under a modified Apache license. Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA, together with the Joint Development Foundation of the Linux Foundation, announced the Alliance for OpenUSD on August 1, 2023 to "promote the standardization, development, evolution, and growth of Pixar's Universal Scene Description technology."

File formats

File formats used by the specification include:
  • , which can be either ASCII or binary-encoded
  • , ASCII encoded
  • , binary encoded
  • , a package file which is a zero-compression, unencrypted zip archive, which may contain usd, usda, usdc, png, jpeg, m4a, mp3, and wav files.

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