X3DMMS: An X3DOM tool for molecular and material sciences

We are presenting a virtual reality environment based on X3DOM technologies and aimed for enabling a researcher in the Molecular and Matter Sciences to set up the initial conditions of a simulation to be performed using the Dl-Poly software, through a virtual environment implemented in X3D. After having completed the definition of the molecular system to be studied in a very intuitive and user friendly way, the user can write out the Dl-Poly input files. In this way the crucial phase of the initial set up of the simulation is simplified and can be performed in a short time. Even if some technological drawbacks have been experienced in the current X3DOM implementation, we are confident that this approach, which definitely solves the " traditional" issues related to the compatibility among different web browser (plugins) and operating systems, represents an highway for the diffusion of X3D technologies in several application fields. © 2011 ACM.