Two classes of graduate students learning 3D graphics and analytic simulation at the Naval
Postgraduate School modeled the three_dimensional (3D) shape, structure, imagery and
motion behaviors of plants and animals in the kelp forest exhibit at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium. Our intended audience includes educators and students of all ages, scientific
users interested in composing models in a 3D Web environment, and the general public.
The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) proved to be an excellent medium for …

One grove stands apart from the others. The Kelp Forest exhibit, an aquarium centerpiece,
looks so natural many visitors believe they're looking through a window to the bay. It's an
illusion designed for both visitors and kelp. The exhibit opens to the sky, and the sunlight
streaming majestically through the amber fronds helps the kelp grow.