Add OpenGL-backed 3D visualization with Python bindings and PyQt integration

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -6,24 +6,40 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
 
-# Add pybind11
-add_subdirectory(external/pybind11)
+# Add pybind11 (use submodule if available, otherwise fetch)
+include(FetchContent)
+set(PYBIND11_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/external/pybind11)
+if(EXISTS ${PYBIND11_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeLists.txt)
+    add_subdirectory(${PYBIND11_SOURCE_DIR})
+else()
+    message(WARNING "pybind11 submodule not found, fetching release archive")
+    FetchContent_Declare(
+        pybind11
+        URL https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/archive/refs/tags/v2.12.0.tar.gz
+    )
+    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(pybind11)
+endif()
+
+find_package(OpenGL REQUIRED)
 
 # Core C++ library (static library for standalone testing)
 add_library(rc_car_core STATIC
     cpp/src/math_operations.cpp
+    cpp/src/renderer3d.cpp
 )
 
 target_include_directories(rc_car_core PUBLIC
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cpp/include
 )
 
+target_link_libraries(rc_car_core PUBLIC OpenGL::GL)
+
 # Python module (DLL/shared library)
 pybind11_add_module(rc_car_cpp
     cpp/src/bindings.cpp
 )
 
-target_link_libraries(rc_car_cpp PRIVATE rc_car_core)
+target_link_libraries(rc_car_cpp PRIVATE rc_car_core OpenGL::GL)
 
 target_include_directories(rc_car_cpp PRIVATE
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cpp/include

README.md

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ GUI for RC car telemetry and controls with high-performance C++ extensions.
 ## Features
 - PyQt6-based graphical interface for RC car control
 - High-performance C++ extensions via Pybind11 for robotics calculations
+- OpenGL-backed 3D visualization widget with Python bindings
 - CMake-based build system with MSVC support
 - Standalone C++ testing capabilities
 
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ GUI for RC car telemetry and controls with high-performance C++ extensions.
 - CMake 3.15 or higher
 - Microsoft Visual Studio (with C++ Desktop Development workload) on Windows
 - GCC or Clang on Linux/macOS
+- OpenGL development libraries (e.g., `libgl1-mesa-dev` and `libglu1-mesa-dev` on Linux)
 
 ## Installation
 

cpp/include/renderer3d.h

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <array>
+
+namespace rc_car {
+
+/**
+ * Minimal OpenGL-based renderer for showcasing 3D content.
+ *
+ * Rendering calls assume an active OpenGL context (provided by the caller).
+ */
+class Renderer3D {
+public:
+    Renderer3D();
+
+    /**
+     * Set the clear color used before drawing.
+     */
+    void setClearColor(float r, float g, float b, float a = 1.0f);
+
+    /**
+     * Render a colored cube using the current OpenGL context.
+     *
+     * @param angleXDeg Rotation around the X axis in degrees.
+     * @param angleYDeg Rotation around the Y axis in degrees.
+     * @param distance  Camera distance from the object.
+     * @param width     Viewport width in pixels.
+     * @param height    Viewport height in pixels.
+     */
+    void renderCube(float angleXDeg, float angleYDeg, float distance, int width, int height) const;
+
+private:
+    std::array<float, 4> clearColor_;
+};
+
+}  // namespace rc_car

cpp/src/bindings.cpp

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
 #include "math_operations.h"
+#include "renderer3d.h"
 
 namespace py = pybind11;
 
@@ -15,12 +16,25 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(rc_car_cpp, m) {
                    py::arg("x2"), py::arg("y2"), py::arg("z2"),
                    "Calculate angle between two 3D vectors in radians")
         .def_static("normalize_vector", 
-                   [](double x, double y, double z) {
-                       rc_car::MathOperations::normalizeVector(x, y, z);
-                       return py::make_tuple(x, y, z);
-                   },
-                   py::arg("x"), py::arg("y"), py::arg("z"),
-                   "Normalize a 3D vector, returns (x, y, z) tuple");
+                    [](double x, double y, double z) {
+                        rc_car::MathOperations::normalizeVector(x, y, z);
+                        return py::make_tuple(x, y, z);
+                    },
+                    py::arg("x"), py::arg("y"), py::arg("z"),
+                    "Normalize a 3D vector, returns (x, y, z) tuple");
+
+    py::class_<rc_car::Renderer3D>(m, "Renderer3D")
+        .def(py::init<>())
+        .def("set_clear_color", &rc_car::Renderer3D::setClearColor,
+             py::arg("r"), py::arg("g"), py::arg("b"), py::arg("a") = 1.0f,
+             "Set the clear color used for the framebuffer")
+        .def("render_cube", &rc_car::Renderer3D::renderCube,
+             py::arg("angle_x_deg") = 25.0f,
+             py::arg("angle_y_deg") = 35.0f,
+             py::arg("distance") = 4.0f,
+             py::arg("width") = 640,
+             py::arg("height") = 480,
+             "Render a colored cube in the active OpenGL context");
 
     // Version information
     m.attr("__version__") = "1.0.0";

cpp/src/renderer3d.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+#include "renderer3d.h"
+#include <algorithm>
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <GL/gl.h>
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+#include <OpenGL/gl.h>
+#else
+#include <GL/gl.h>
+#endif
+
+namespace rc_car {
+
+namespace {
+float clamp01(float v) {
+    return std::max(0.0f, std::min(1.0f, v));
+}
+}  // namespace
+
+Renderer3D::Renderer3D() : clearColor_{0.05f, 0.09f, 0.14f, 1.0f} {}
+
+void Renderer3D::setClearColor(float r, float g, float b, float a) {
+    clearColor_ = {
+        clamp01(r),
+        clamp01(g),
+        clamp01(b),
+        clamp01(a)
+    };
+}
+
+void Renderer3D::renderCube(float angleXDeg, float angleYDeg, float distance, int width, int height) const {
+    if (width <= 0 || height <= 0) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    glViewport(0, 0, width, height);
+    glEnable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);
+
+    glClearColor(clearColor_[0], clearColor_[1], clearColor_[2], clearColor_[3]);
+    glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
+
+    glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION);
+    glLoadIdentity();
+
+    const float aspect = static_cast<float>(width) / static_cast<float>(height);
+    glFrustum(-aspect, aspect, -1.0, 1.0, 1.5, 20.0);
+
+    glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
+    glLoadIdentity();
+    glTranslatef(0.0f, 0.0f, -distance);
+    glRotatef(angleXDeg, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
+    glRotatef(angleYDeg, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f);
+
+    glBegin(GL_QUADS);
+
+    // Front face (red)
+    glColor3f(0.84f, 0.27f, 0.27f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f);
+
+    // Back face (cyan)
+    glColor3f(0.16f, 0.67f, 0.84f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f,  1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f,  1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+
+    // Left face (green)
+    glColor3f(0.23f, 0.82f, 0.39f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f,  1.0f, -1.0f);
+
+    // Right face (yellow)
+    glColor3f(0.96f, 0.82f, 0.26f);
+    glVertex3f(1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(1.0f,  1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(1.0f,  1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+
+    // Top face (purple)
+    glColor3f(0.67f, 0.34f, 0.90f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, 1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, 1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, 1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, 1.0f, -1.0f);
+
+    // Bottom face (blue)
+    glColor3f(0.11f, 0.56f, 0.83f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+    glVertex3f(-1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, -1.0f, -1.0f);
+    glVertex3f( 1.0f, -1.0f,  1.0f);
+
+    glEnd();
+}
+
+}  // namespace rc_car

src/ui/MainWindow.py

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 from ui.TelemetryWindow import VehicleTelemetryWindow
 from ui.VideoStreamingWindow import VideoStreamingWindow
+from ui.VisualizationWindow import VisualizationWindow
 from ui.UIConsumer import BackendIface
 from ui.FirmwareUpdateWindow import FirmwareUpdateWindow
 from ui.theme import make_card
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class SidePanel(QFrame):
     showWelcome     = pyqtSignal()  # Show welcome
     showTlm         = pyqtSignal()  # Show telemetry signal
     showVideoStream = pyqtSignal()  # Show video stream
+    showVisualizer  = pyqtSignal()  # Show 3D visualizer
 
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
@@ -108,6 +110,10 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None):
         self.btnVideo.setToolTip("Open video stream")
         self.btnVideo.setIcon(QIcon("icons/video.svg"))
 
+        self.btn3d = GlowButton(" 3D View")
+        self.btn3d.setToolTip("Open 3D visualization")
+        self.btn3d.setIcon(QIcon("icons/rc-car.png"))
+
         self.btnFw    = GlowButton(" Firmware")
         self.btnFw.setIcon(QIcon("icons/upgrade.svg"))
         self.btnFw.setToolTip("Upload Firmware")
@@ -119,6 +125,7 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None):
         layout.addWidget(self.btnWelcome)
         layout.addWidget(self.btnTelem)
         layout.addWidget(self.btnVideo)
+        layout.addWidget(self.btn3d)
         layout.addWidget(self.btnFw)
         layout.addWidget(self.btnGPS)
 
@@ -157,6 +164,7 @@ def __connectSignals(self) -> None:
         self.btnWelcome.clicked.connect(lambda: self.showWelcome.emit())
         self.btnTelem.clicked.connect(lambda: self.showTlm.emit())
         self.btnVideo.clicked.connect(lambda: self.showVideoStream.emit())
+        self.btn3d.clicked.connect(lambda: self.showVisualizer.emit())
 
 
     # ----------------------------
@@ -553,6 +561,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.__tlmWindow    = VehicleTelemetryWindow(self)
         self.__streamWindow = VideoStreamingWindow()
         self.__fwWindow     = FirmwareUpdateWindow(self)
+        self.__vizWindow    = VisualizationWindow(self)
 
         # Side panel
         self.side = SidePanel(self)
@@ -587,6 +596,7 @@ def __connectSignals(self):
         self.side.showWelcome.connect(self.__showWelcome)
         self.side.showTlm.connect(self.__showTlm)
         self.side.showVideoStream.connect(self.__showVideo)
+        self.side.showVisualizer.connect(self.__showVisualizer)
         self.__welcomeWindow.startRequested.connect(self.__onDiscoveryStart)
         # When a device is discovered, show it on the welcome window
         self.__consumer.deviceDiscovered.connect(self.__onDeviceDiscovered)
@@ -786,6 +796,11 @@ def __showVideo(self) -> None:
         self.__setContent(self.__streamWindow)
 
 
+    def __showVisualizer(self) -> None:
+        """Show the 3D visualization window."""
+        self.__setContent(self.__vizWindow)
+
+
 
     def __showFirmware(self) -> None:
         """Show the firmware update panel in the central area."""