TechniCon Computer Services announced today 3D Web Visualizer, a business software application that brings the new capabilities of Web-based 3D graphics and virtual reality to sales and marketing professionals.

The software -- one of the first business applications that fully takes advantage of Java and VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) 2.0 -- enables salespeople and their customers to create and interact with photo-realistic 3D images of differently configured products -- all at the point of sale. Previously, many companies assigned product designers with access to expensive CAD systems to perform such modeling. As a result, sales representatives were often forced to go back and forth between designers and customers, a costly process that greatly lengthened the sales cycle.

Now, with 3D Web Visualizer, salespeople can answer customer inquiries instantly by accessing product information and 3D graphics directly over the Internet.

"The increasing emphasis on build-to-order products that meet individual customer needs has made the sales professional's job much more challenging," said Anthony Mirante, president of TechniCon. "3D Web Visualizer utilizes the new virtual reality technology of the World Wide Web to ease that burden. By giving salespeople direct access to Internet-based product visualization technology, they shorten the sales cycle, increase sales, and improve customer satisfaction."

VRML, Java, and Cosmo Player Bring Power to Businesses

3D Web Visualizer is one of the first business applications built to fully utilize the capabilities of the Java programming language; VRML 2.0, the new industry standard format for delivering 3D graphics, multimedia and interactive content on the Internet; and Cosmo Software's Cosmo Player, the VRML client built into Web browsers such as Netscape Communicator.

"TechniCon has created a pioneering software application that demonstrates the power of this visual medium for the enterprise," said Kevin Hartz, Product Manager for Cosmo Player. "This is a great solution that allows different departments within a company to configure products and display information in an intuitive and impressive manner. It's a compelling application that can save businesses a great deal of money."

Interactive Visualization Software Enhances Sales and E-Commerce

TechniCon integrates the new virtual reality technology of the Internet with off-the-shelf relational databases, product configuration software, and 3D graphics to customize 3D Web Visualizer to a company's specific product line.

For instance, office furniture sales representatives using 3D Web Visualizer have the power to display thousands of differently configured products, from desks to office cubicles. A salesperson creates a realistic image of a desk with an oak finish and drawers positioned on the left, then at the customer's request, changes the finish to black and moves the drawers to the right. All of this is done instantly at the point of sale, without waiting for CAD operators to create computer models or product designers to produce costly physical mockups.

Similarly, potential automobile buyers can view cars with different options, and emergency dispatching services can preview customized versions of 911 consoles. Any product that incorporates customer options can be incorporated into TechniCon's 3D Web Visualizer, enabling potential buyers to gain more confidence about the finished product. Such confidence may also give a boost to the electronic commerce market, where sight-unseen purchases scare some consumers away.

Less Costly and More Accurate than CD-ROM-based Solutions

3D Web Visualizer also helps companies reduce the cost of sales automation. Unlike CD-ROM-based sales automation solutions, it does not require salespeople to carry expensive laptop computers equipped to store and run large databases of product information. Via 3D Web Visualizer, sales professionals need only log on to the Internet or company intranet with a simple notebook and Web browser. And because the information is accessed over the Internet, companies can quickly and frequently deliver updated product data directly to their sales force, ensuring they are working with the most recent, accurate information.

Internet-Based Specification and Layout Reduces Configuration Errors

The technology also helps eliminate product configuration errors that typically occur with lengthy sales cycles. Because customers can view fully configured products before they order them, salespeople make fewer changes to orders.

Availability

TechniCon's 3D Web Visualizer technology is available immediately. To tailor the application to a specific product line, TechniCon incorporates product data from a manufacturer's existing legacy or relational database system, and then creates attractive 3D graphics for the company's products. TechniCon then updates and maintains this product database itself or trains the manufacturer to do so.

About Cosmo Player

Cosmo Player is a VRML 2.0-compliant client that works as a plug-in for Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Cosmo Player also ships as an integral component of Netscape Communicator 4.0. Cosmo Player is available for multiple platforms, including Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, and Macintosh.

Cosmo Player provides smooth, rapid and consistent 3D rendering of VRML 2.0 worlds on desktop PCs with or without 3D graphics hardware. It can also be used in conjunction with Visual Java developers tools such as Cosmo Code for easy addition of 3D to Java applets and applications.

About TechniCon

TechniCon Computer Services, a 10-year-old company based in Emeryville, Calif., is a leading developer of customized product visualization software for sales and marketing organizations.

Using the latest 2D/3D graphics and Internet technologies, TechniCon makes it easy for sales representatives and customers to preview and order products that meet today's build-to-order requirements. By allowing customers to fully visualize and configure products at the point of sale, TechniCon's software helps companies shorten the sales cycle, decrease product configuration errors, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction.

About Cosmo Software

Cosmo Software, a Silicon Graphics company, develops multiplatform Web content creation tools for professionals and consumers. Cosmo Software enables advances in online interactivity via breakthrough content technologies VRML and Java, which bring Silicon Graphics 3D and visual computing technologies to the Internet. Cosmo Software products include a VRML client, authoring system, visual Java development tool and an HTML page layout tool.

Cosmo Software is in the process of acquiring ParaGraph International, the leader in Internet 3D software for PCs and multiuser client/server technology. More information on Cosmo Software can be found at http://cosmo.sgi.com.