VRML  file format being so portable and comprising of just text has a great potential to be expanded  in the Architectural design process as a

Distributed Virtual reality application. Use of  Immersive Virtual reality in the Architectural design process became quite popular after the

advent of the VRML 1.0 file format and the development of CAVE hardware as well as associated software to load the models. This was

possible due to the fact that OPEN INVENTOR and  VRML 1.0 are closely linked together and VRML 1.0 can be changed to the OPEN

INVENTOR by just changing the Header of the file. and hence can be loaded in to the CAVE by the performer Navigator (pfnav).
 

There were several projects which demonstrated the use of AUTOCAD MODELS in CAVE using the conversion utility dxf to iv. The OPEN

INVENTOR files can then be directly read into the CAVE using the pfnav application written using Performer.
 
 

The OPEN INVENTOR 1.0 models which are "static" in nature with no interactivity associated with them are pretty much limited to just

visualization.  VRML 1.0 's limitations can be over come by introducing the VRML 2.0 usage in the CAVE. Currently the VRML 1.0 is used in a

passive way in the CAVE by loading the converted Open Inventor models into the Cave Collaborative Console, The pfnav or the saranav.