Khronos Group
Encyclopedia
The Khronos Group is a not-for-profit member-funded industry consortium based in Beaverton, Oregon
, focused on the creation of open standard
, royalty-free APIs
to enable the authoring and accelerated playback of dynamic media on a wide variety of platforms and devices. All Khronos members are able to contribute to the development of Khronos API specifications, are empowered to vote at various stages before public deployment, and are able to accelerate the delivery of their cutting-edge 3D platforms and applications through early access to specification drafts and conformance tests.
On the 31st July, 2006 it was announced at SIGGRAPH
that control of the OpenGL specification would be passed to the group.
An article at SPIE Electronic Imaging 2006 Multimedia on Mobile Devices gives an overview of many mobile APIs, mostly from Khronos.
, Discreet, Evans & Sutherland
, Intel Corporation
, NVIDIA
, Silicon Graphics (SGI)
, and Sun Microsystems
. Today the Khronos Group has roughly 100 member companies, over 30 adopters, and twenty-four conforming members. Neil Trevett
is currently the President of the Khronos Group.
For a complete and updated list of the project's members see the promoters, contributors and academics member list of the Khronos Group.
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
, focused on the creation of open standard
Open standard
An open standard is a standard that is publicly available and has various rights to use associated with it, and may also have various properties of how it was designed . There is no single definition and interpretations vary with usage....
, royalty-free APIs
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
to enable the authoring and accelerated playback of dynamic media on a wide variety of platforms and devices. All Khronos members are able to contribute to the development of Khronos API specifications, are empowered to vote at various stages before public deployment, and are able to accelerate the delivery of their cutting-edge 3D platforms and applications through early access to specification drafts and conformance tests.
On the 31st July, 2006 it was announced at SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH is the name of the annual conference on computer graphics convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. The first SIGGRAPH conference was in 1974. The conference is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals...
that control of the OpenGL specification would be passed to the group.
An article at SPIE Electronic Imaging 2006 Multimedia on Mobile Devices gives an overview of many mobile APIs, mostly from Khronos.
History
The Khronos Group was founded in 2000 by a number of media centric companies, including ATI TechnologiesATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. was a semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985 as Array Technologies Inc., the company was listed publicly in 1993 and was acquired by Advanced Micro...
, Discreet, Evans & Sutherland
Evans & Sutherland
Evans & Sutherland is a computer firm involved in the computer graphics field. Their products are used primarily by the military and large industrial firms for training and simulation, and in digital projection environments like planetariums.-History:...
, Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
, NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
, Silicon Graphics (SGI)
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
, and Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
. Today the Khronos Group has roughly 100 member companies, over 30 adopters, and twenty-four conforming members. Neil Trevett
Neil Trevett
Neil Trevett is an electrical engineer and executive involved in 3D technology.Trevett has spent 20 years in the 3D graphics industry. In 1985, Trevett joined benchMark Technologies as Head of Graphics Systems....
is currently the President of the Khronos Group.
Working Groups
- OpenGLOpenGLOpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
, a cross-platformCross-platformIn computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
computer graphics API - OpenCLOpenCLOpenCL is a framework for writing programs that execute across heterogeneous platforms consisting of CPUs, GPUs, and other processors. OpenCL includes a language for writing kernels , plus APIs that are used to define and then control the platforms...
, a cross-platform computation API. - COLLADACOLLADACOLLADA is a COLLAborative Design Activity for establishing an interchange file format for interactive 3D applications. COLLADA is managed by the nonprofit technology consortium, the Khronos Group....
, a file-format intended to facilitate interchange of 3D assets. - OpenGL SCOpenGL SCOpenGL for Safety Critical applications is a subset of the OpenGL 3D graphics application programming interface designed to meet the needs of the Safety Critical market for avionics, industrial, military, medical and automotive applications including DO-178B certification...
, a safety critical profile of OpenGL ES designed to meet the needs of the safety-critical market - OpenKODEOpenKODEOpenKODE is a set of native APIs for handheld games and media applications providing a cross-platform abstraction layer for other media technologies such as OpenGL ES, OpenVG, OpenMAX AL and OpenSL ES. Besides of being an umbrella specification of the other APIs, OpenKODE also contains an API of...
, an API for providing abstracted, portable access to operating system resources such as file systems, networks and math libraries - OpenGL ESOpenGL ESOpenGL for Embedded Systems is a subset of the OpenGL 3D graphics application programming interface designed for embedded systems such as mobile phones, PDAs, and video game consoles. OpenGL ES is managed by the not-for-profit technology consortium, the Khronos Group, Inc.- Versions :Several...
, a derivative of OpenGL for use on mobile and embedded systems, such as cell phones, portable gaming devices, and more - OpenVGOpenVGOpenVG is a standard API designed for hardware-accelerated 2D vector graphics. It is aimed primarily at mobile phones, media and gaming consoles such as the PlayStation 3, and other consumer electronic devices. It will help manufacturers create flashier user interfaces that are less dependent on...
, an API for accelerating processing of 2D vector graphicsVector graphicsVector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
. - OpenMAXOpenMAXOpenMAX is a royalty-free, cross-platform set of C-language programming interfaces that provides abstractions for routines especially useful for audio, video, and still images...
, a layered set of three programming interfaces of various abstraction levels, providing access to multimedia functionality - OpenSL ESOpenSL ESOpenSL ES is a royalty-free,cross-platform, hardware-accelerated,C-language audio API for 2D and 3D audio.It provides access to features such as 3D positional audio and MIDI playback....
, an audio API tuned for embedded systems, standardizing access to features such as 3D positional audio and MIDI playback - EGLEGL (OpenGL)EGL is an interface between Khronos rendering APIs such as OpenGL ES or OpenVG and the underlying native platform window system. It handles graphics context management, surface/buffer binding, and rendering synchronization and enables "high-performance, accelerated, mixed-mode 2D and 3D rendering...
, an interface between Khronos rendering APIs such as OpenGL ES or OpenVG and the underlying native platform window system - OpenWFOpenWFOpenWF is a royalty-free, cross-platform API that provides a low-level hardware abstraction interface for composited windowing systems to make use of composition and display hardware. OpenWF is targeted primarily at handheld devices that require portable acceleration of composition whilst...
, APIs for 2D graphics composition and display control - OpenMLOpenMLOpen Media Library is a free, cross-platform programming environment designed by the Khronos Group for capturing, transporting, processing, displaying, and synchronizing digital media .-See also:* SDL* Allegro* ClanLib* OpenGL* OpenAL* PLIB-External links:* *...
, an API for capturing, transporting, processing, displaying, and synchronizing digital media - WebGLWebGLWebGL is a software library that extends the capability of the JavaScript programming language to allow it to generate interactive 3D graphics within any compatible web browser...
, a JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
binding to OpenGL ES within a browser on any platform supporting the OpenGL or OpenGL ES graphics standards - WebCL, a JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
binding to OpenCL within a browser. - StreamInput, an API for consistently handling input devices.
Members of Khronos Group
In 2006, some of the OpenGL ARB Working Group members were:- AMDAdvanced Micro DevicesAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
/ATIATI TechnologiesATI Technologies Inc. was a semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985 as Array Technologies Inc., the company was listed publicly in 1993 and was acquired by Advanced Micro... - Apple Inc.
- ARM HoldingsARM HoldingsARM Holdings plc is a British multinational semiconductor and software company headquartered in Cambridge. Its largest business is in processors, although it also designs, licenses and sells software development tools under the RealView and KEIL brands, systems and platforms, system-on-a-chip...
- Creative LabsCreative TechnologyCreative Technology Ltd. is a Singapore-based global company headquartered in Jurong East, Singapore. The principal activities of the company and its subsidiaries consist of the design, manufacture and distribution of digitized sound and video boards, computers and related multimedia, and personal...
- id SoftwareId SoftwareId Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
- EricssonEricssonEricsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
- GoogleGoogleGoogle Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
- Intel CorporationIntel CorporationIntel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
- MotorolaMotorolaMotorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
- MozillaMozilla FoundationThe Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that exists to support and provide leadership for the open source Mozilla project. The organization sets the policies that govern development, operates key infrastructure and controls trademarks and other intellectual property...
- NokiaNokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
- NvidiaNVIDIANvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
- Samsung ElectronicsSamsung ElectronicsSamsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul...
- Sony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
- OracleOracle CorporationOracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
/Sun MicrosystemsSun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982... - Texas InstrumentsTexas InstrumentsTexas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
For a complete and updated list of the project's members see the promoters, contributors and academics member list of the Khronos Group.