2023
Brain Tutor 3D Web App
11 02, 23
Brain Tutor 3D is now available as a Web App - try it out here! Brain Tutor 3D is the first app that we put on the web, which is made possible by the impressive WebAssembly (Wasm) infrastructure that allows to compile C++ (and other languages) to a cross-platform highly efficient byte code that runs in all major desktop and mobile web browsers. Wasm supports WebGL/OpenGL, which is ideal for BrainVoyager related software that is based on efficient 3D graphics rendering. There are also limitations. As opposed to an installed app, the app is downloaded each time when visiting the page on the web (it is usually kept in memory by the web browser as long as the respective browser page is not closed). While the whole software is packaged in a small wasm file of about 60 MB, it will take a few seconds until the file is downloaded and the web app is running. If one uses an app more than a few times, it may be a better option to download the corresponding desktop or mobile app. Wasm apps are also 32-bit programs (the desktop and mobile versions are 64-bit apps) posing restrictions on handling very large datasets. Wasm apps can be employed easily on the Web, which has the advantage that it runs by clicking on a link instead of downloading and installing different applications compiled for specific operating systems. On the developer side, web employment is easy avoiding creation of platform-specific installers as downloadable packages or as apps for App Stores that come with many extra requirements. Despite avoiding approval from App Stores, WebAssembly apps are secure to use since they run in a sandbox of the browser. This makes it more challenging to use files from the local file system for processing or visualization. This is, however, possible as long as the user explicitly selects (and thereby approves) files from the local system for uploading into the sandbox. This will allow our next web app, Brain Viewer, to process your custom BrainVoyager files but also NIfTI, GIfTI and other files in a powerful web application - stay tuned!
