Fact Sheet: Universal Scene Description (USD)

General

Short description/ Transmitted information	Open and extensible ecosystem for describing, composing, simulating, and collaborating within 3D worlds.
Normative document	Current state of the source code (https://github.com/PixarAnimationStudios/OpenUSD) and documentation (https://openusd.org/release/index.html). USD is planned to be standardized within the Alliance for OpenUSD (https://aousd.org/).
Version/ Release state	Version 23.11 (https://github.com/PixarAnimationStudios/OpenUSD/releases/tag/v23.11)
Release date	26. October 2023
Application scope	Data Exchange Collaboration
Goals	Provide a rich, common language for defining, packaging, assembling, and editing 3D data, facilitating the use of multiple digital content creation applications. Allow multiple artists to collaborate on the same assets and scenes. Maximize artistic iteration by minimizing latency.
Promoting bodies	Pixar, NVIDIA, Alliance for OpenUSD
Type	Open-Source development
IT Standard classification	Interoperability Standard
Data format	Software
Additional available resources	https://openusd.org/release/index.html https://developer.nvidia.com/usd https://aousd.org/ https://openusd.org/release/usd_products.html
Relevant prostep ivip project groups	Collaborative Digital Twins (CDT) JT Project Groups Automated Functional Data Exchange Forum (FDX) Smart Systems Engineering (SmartSE)

Development is currently somehow coupled to NVIDIA and its Omniverse software platform. This may change if USD is transferred to the Alliance for OpenUSD.
Development is currently somehow coupled to NVIDIA and its Omniverse software platform. This may change if USD is transferred to the Alliance for OpenUSD.
Potential overlap with https://github.com/KhronosGroup/glTF, https://github.com/LudwigFriedmann/OpenMaterial/ and https://www.asam.net/project-detail/asam-openmaterial/

Hierarchical data model for scene description, incorporating concepts and APIs for geometry, shading, models and assets
Matured and proven in movie production