Showing posts with label R. Show all posts
Showing posts with label R. Show all posts

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Day 6: 30-days to learn rgl, plotly, and gganimate - Create an interactive 3D plot with rgl that uses various viewpoints or angles to simulate rotation

rglWebGL


Step 1: Install and Load the rgl Package

Ensure that you have the rgl package installed and loaded in your R environment.

# Install rgl if not already installed
if (!require("rgl")) install.packages("rgl")
 
# Load the rgl package
library(rgl)

Step 2: Prepare a Dataset

For demonstration purposes, create or use a sample 3D dataset (e.g., random points in 3D space).

# Sample dataset with random 3D points
set.seed(123)
n <- 100
x <- rnorm(n)
y <- rnorm(n)
z <- rnorm(n)
colors <- rainbow(n)

Step 3: Create a Basic 3D Plot

Use plot3d() to create a basic 3D scatter plot.

# Create a 3D scatter plot
plot3d(x, y, z, col = colors, size = 5, type = 's', xlab = "X-axis", ylab = "Y-axis", zlab = "Z-axis")

Step 4: Enhance the Plot with Customization

Add customizations like grid lines, labels, and lighting for better visualization.

# Add grid lines
grid3d("x")
grid3d("y")
grid3d("z")
 
# Enhance lighting
light3d(specular = "white")

Step 5: Set Up Rotation Parameters

Define a sequence of angles to rotate the plot and simulate a continuous rotation.

# Define rotation parameters
angles <- seq(0, 360, by = 5) # 5-degree increments

Step 6: Rotate the Plot Programmatically

Use a loop to rotate the plot around a specific axis (e.g., the z-axis).

# Rotate around the z-axis
for (angle in angles) {
  view3d(theta = angle, phi = 30) # Rotate theta; phi is the vertical angle
  Sys.sleep(0.1)                 # Pause for 0.1 seconds for smooth transition
}

Step 7: Export the Visualization

Save the interactive 3D plot as an HTML widget or image file for sharing or further use.

# Save as an interactive HTML file
rglwidget() %>% htmlwidgets::saveWidget("3D_plot_rotation.html")
 
# Save as a static image (PNG)
rgl.snapshot("3D_plot_rotation.png")

Step 8: Test and Adjust

  • Experiment with different rotation axes (x, y, or z) by modifying view3d() parameters.
  • Adjust the speed of rotation using Sys.sleep().

Outcome

By the end of this exercise, you will have an interactive 3D plot that smoothly rotates, providing a dynamic visualization of the data. You can integrate this plot with tools like plotly or embed it into web presentations for a polished output.