Advanced version of tool for creating custom, informative and highly
compressed stream files released today

Oakland, CA - May 09, 2001 - Tech Soft America (TSA), the leading provider
of core graphics component technology to the CAD/CAM/CAE industry, pushes
the envelope for streaming technology with the release of the HOOPS Stream
Toolkit (HOOPS/Stream) version 6.0. HOOPS/Stream is designed to facilitate
the creation of   intelligent 3D model files, which can be efficiently
streamed over Internet connections of any bandwidth. This release
incorporates sophisticated new geometry compression options, full
independence from other HOOPS modules, and added intelligence to assist
developers in creating optimal files tailored to their specific data and
model type.

The HOOPS Stream Toolkit has been specifically developed to meet the
sophisticated needs of engineering software. Rather than simply creating
files using a collection of “dumb” triangles, as is common for Web
visualization, HOOPS/Stream gives developers the opportunity to create
innovative, stream-capable files containing a depth of information specific
to their application and end-users’ needs. These files may include custom
information such as 2D drawings, material properties, assembly information,
CAE analysis results, supplier information, or other application-specific
data. The flexibility of HOOPS/Stream allows the engineering software vendor
to design their own highly customized and compressed streaming format,
containing the rich data and intelligence that gives their file format its
value.

HOOPS/Stream may be used as an independent HSF Import/Export module or in
conjunction with the HOOPS 3D Application Framework (HOOPS/3dAF) and HOOPS
Net Server (HOOPS/Net) components from TSA.

New features and enhancements to HOOPS/Stream include:

·	BaseStream Class Library. These new classes allow developers to directly
export their own scene-graph information (2d/3d geometry, hierarchy and
attributes) to the popular .HSF streaming format and import this data from
their custom HSF file – whether or not they use HOOPS/3dGS in their
application. Using BaseStream, developers can create their own very highly
customized streaming files, thus leveraging the richness and extensibility
of the .HSF file format and the advanced compression and encoding logic in
the HOOPS Stream Toolkit.

·	Advanced Compression. Sophisticated new geometry and file-wide compression
algorithms have been added, which further reduce HSF’s by up to 70% as
compared to HSF’s created using HOOPS/Stream v5.0.

·	Major New Attribute Support. Support is now included for HOOPS/3dGS
features such as textures, environment maps, and face/vertex attributes
 such as color values for color interpolation and color-index
interpolation), as well as per-face color support. These extensions are of
particular interest to CAE, CFD, FEA, GIS, Scientific Visualization and
Earth Science applications.

·	Object Instancing. New logic has been added for the automatic recognition
of objects used multiple times in a scene. This creates smaller, faster
stream files, particularly with large models containing many repeated
objects.

·	Object Prioritization. HOOPS/Stream now prioritizes objects within the HSF
file based on their visual importance in the scene, thus enhancing the
overall quality of the streaming process. Developers are given significant
control of how this prioritization occurs within the HOOPS/Stream API.

Gary Heath, CEO and President of Informative Graphics stated, “Our popular
MYRIAD viewing product uses HOOPS/Stream for the important work of creating
highly intelligent and compressed streaming files for viewing. HOOPS/Stream
has proven to be an outstanding tool for the creation of highly customized
stream files. We are eager to take advantage of many of the latest
enhancements in v6.0 inside of MYRIAD and other web visualization
 solutions.”

“This latest version of HOOPS/Stream will be a powerful new addition to
CADKEY v20. We are committed to helping our customers leverage the full
power of the internet and HOOPS/Stream will enable them to create
sophisticated streaming files for collaboration with their customers and
partners," commented John Dunkelberg, Assistant Director of Product
Development, CADKEY Corp.

Added Gavin Bridgeman, Co-Founder and Member of the Technical Staff at TSA,
“The embedded intelligence, compression and openness of the HOOPS Stream
Toolkit combine to make this an extremely powerful tool for developers. We
are pleased to have this latest version already in production use by at
least two major CAD vendors. We’re looking forward to their pending
announcements regarding how HOOPS/Stream is helping them deliver highly
customized stream files including 2D, 3D and custom application data.”

About Tech Soft America
Tech Soft America (TSA) provides premier customer driven development tools,
consulting and support services enabling their partners to rapidly deliver
world-class technical software. TSA develops the HOOPS 3D Application
Framework, HOOPS Streaming Toolkit and HOOPS Net Server, which dramatically
simplify the design, development and maintenance of high-performance,
interactive 2D and 3D applications built for PCs, UNIX workstations, Linux
and the Web.

HOOPS 3D technology has been incorporated into over 125 commercial software
applications, from such leaders as SolidWorks, PTC, SDRC, CADKEY, Fluent,
Tecoplan, Framework Technologies, Mechanical Dynamics, PAM-Systems, SPSS,
Minitab, Surpac and Mintec.

The company maintains corporate headquarters in Oakland, California and can
be reached at http://www.hoops3d.com.

Contacts:
Melle Amade-Vice
Tech Soft America
510.434.7630  ext.214
melle@techsoftamerica.com

HOOPS is a registered trademark.