First, the ability to view a VRML scene rendered through ray tracing is a new idea. The standard VRML browsers cannot render scenes to such a high level of detail. This feature provides the potential to achieve a higher level of realism in VRML worlds. Using a common modeling language such as VRML as input to the ray tracer also provides instant access to existing scene files. Second, apart from the relationship between ray tracing and VRML, the ray tracing aspect of the project itself is innovative.
Users are actually able to navigate the scene in real time.
It is true that there is greater latency between frames for higher resolutions than for lower ones, but viewing a ray traced scene that is not static is an uncommon experience. A third novel idea is allowing the user to interactively control the rendering process. Various parameters of the ray tracing algorithm can be dynamically modified during runtime and their changes will be quickly evident in the image. Fourth, performance analysis is not typical either, and estimated time bounds on rendering provide clues as to what level of detail is realistic given runtime constraints. The technical innovations of this work are enhanced by the fact that no other such tool currently exists.