Hi guys,
I've had an idea for a GSOC project that doesn't appear in the project list. It's something I've been considering for a while, but before I write a full proper proposal with timelines and technical outlines, I want to see if this isn't just a random idea I am alone in wanting to see happen :)
In general, my idea is to produce a physics-related image rendering engine, similar to LaTeX only for physics visual demonstrations. So, while LaTeX takes text-based 'code' and renders it into an image of the equation, my idea would take text-based 'code' and render it into a visual representation of the equation.
The easiest idea to demonstrate is something like 'projectile motion' that would produce a simple graph of the motion -- but this can also be used to represent rotational movement with vector representations, collisions, or electricity/magnetism images.
It is meant mostly for educators, tutors, schools and physics-related articles but can be used by anyone who wants to produce an image representation of an equation without editing that image in a separate software.
This can become a huge project eventually, if we include advanced physics and many other features, but it can start out as a basic "physics 101" image rendering engine with select subjects, and perhaps grow from there.
In terms of how to do this technically, I was thinking of using either a php imaging techniques (jpg or svg), or even jQuery libraries like RaphaelJS or others. The images are relatively basic (circles / arrows / boxes, etc).
The main challenge would be to produce something that's easy to use and yet robust enough to be useful -- as well as flexible so we can add more equations/subjects to it in the future.
A rough draft of the idea with a brief summary is here: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:Mooeypoo/GSOC_2013_Project
Please let me know what you think! Do you think it's feasible? Am I getting myself in too deep? Is it something you would like to see or am I the only one who'd use something like this?
Thank you very much for any feedback!
Moriel (aka mooeypoo)