Free and open-source computer-aided design/Virtual environments for scenario modelling

This feature enables a virtual 'location' to be selected (or created) in order to show an item in context in its intended environment. Other people could even be invited to gather in this virtual space to see demonstrations of a machine for example.

This kind of scenario modelling might be similar to the way 3D computer games are rendered - in real-time and with physics engines to simulate gravity, friction etc. It is a similar concept to machinima which use a 3D computer game environment and its characters to quickly and easily create an animated film on a normal computer.

However with off-line rendering over longer periods, these animations could be of superior quality and realism – and perhaps not much longer if idle computers on the same network could be comandeered to create an impromptu peer-to-peer render farm.

Aside from creating physical designs, this is also an incredibly easy and powerful way to create illustrative images or animations for their own sake. With environments quick to select and artefacts easily plucked from the commons, with any moveable parts set to particular positions, it would be an incredibly quick way to put together a high quality image. Almost photo-realistic images could be created as easily as creating a diagram.