3D Gaussian splatting (3D GS) has recently emerged as a transformative technique in the explicit radiance field and computer graphics landscape. This innovative approach, characterized by the utilization of millions of 3D Gaussians, represents a significant departure from the neural radiance field (NeRF) methodologies, which predominantly use implicit, coordinate-based models to map spatial coordinates to pixel values. 3D GS, with its explicit scene representations and differentiable rendering algorithms, not only promises real-time rendering capabilities but also introduces unprecedented levels of control and editability. This positions 3D GS as a potential game-changer for the next generation of 3D reconstruction and representation. In the present paper, we provide the first systematic overview of the recent developments and critical contributions in the domain of 3D GS. We begin with a detailed exploration of the underlying principles and the driving forces behind the advent of 3D GS, setting the stage for understanding its significance. A focal point of our discussion is the practical applicability of 3D GS. By facilitating real-time performance, 3D GS opens up a plethora of applications, ranging from virtual reality to interactive media and beyond. This is complemented by a comparative analysis of leading 3D GS models, evaluated across various benchmark tasks to highlight their performance and practical utility. The survey concludes by identifying current challenges and suggesting potential avenues for future research in this domain. Through this survey, we aim to provide a valuable resource for both newcomers and seasoned researchers, fostering further exploration and advancement in applicable and explicit radiance field representation.
3D 高斯溅射（3D Gaussian Splatting，简称3D GS）最近作为一种变革性技术，在显式辐射场和计算机图形领域中崭露头角。这种创新方法的特点是使用数以百万计的3D 高斯函数，代表了与神经辐射场（Neural Radiance Field，简称NeRF）方法论的显著不同，后者主要使用隐式的、基于坐标的模型将空间坐标映射到像素值。3D GS凭借其显式的场景表示和可微渲染算法，不仅承诺实时渲染能力，而且引入了前所未有的控制和可编辑性级别。这使得3D GS成为下一代3D重建和表示的潜在游戏规则改变者。在本文中，我们提供了对3D GS领域近期发展和关键贡献的首次系统概述。我们首先详细探讨了3D GS兴起背后的基本原理和驱动力，为理解其重要性奠定基础。我们讨论的一个焦点是3D GS的实际应用性。通过促进实时性能，3D GS开启了从虚拟现实到交互媒体等众多应用的大门。这一点通过比较分析领先的3D GS模型在各种基准任务上的表现，突显了它们的性能和实用性。调查总结了当前挑战，并提出了在这一领域未来研究的潜在途径。通过这项调查，我们旨在为新手和资深研究人员提供一个宝贵的资源，促进在适用和显式辐射场表示方面的进一步探索和发展。