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I am interested in generating 3D reasoning items in R. To this end I have adapted some of the awesome functions built in the rgl library to my ends. My new function is ‘cube’ and it takes position and automatically sizes itself as a 1x1x1 cube though this can be adjusted through the scale argument.

Find the code on github 
 
# Easy Bordered Cubes in R
 
library('rgl'); library('magrittr')
 
cube <- function(x=0,y=0,z=0, bordered=TRUE, 
                 filled = TRUE, lwd=2, scale=1,
                 fillcol = gray(.95),
                 bordercol ='black', ...) {
 
  mycube <- cube3d()
 
  # Reduce size to unit
  mycube$vb[4,] <- mycube$vb[4,]/scale*2
 
  for (i in 1:length(x)) {
    # Add cube border
    if (bordered) {
      bcube <- mycube
      bcube$material$lwd <- lwd
      bcube$material$front <- 'line'
      bcube$material$back <- 'line'
      bcube %>% translate3d(x[i], y[i], z[i]) %>% shade3d
    }
    # Add cube fill
    if (filled) {
      fcube <- mycube
      fcube$vb[4,] <- fcube$vb[4,]*1.01
      fcube$material$col <- fillcol
      fcube %>% translate3d(x[i], y[i], z[i]) %>% shade3d
    }
  }
}
 
clear3d()
cube(0,0,0)
cube(1,0,0, filled=F)
cube(-1,0,0, bordered=F)
movie3d(spin3d(axis=c(0,0,1), rpm=20), duration=2.95) 

  
# I mapped R using an excel spreadsheet which 
# translated Xs into 2D locations points
clear3d()
y <- c(1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,4,4,4,4,4,5,5,
       5,5,6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,7,8,8,8,8,9,9,9,9,10,
       10,10,10,11,11,11,11,11,12,12,12,12,12)
 
x <- c(8,7,6,3,2,1,7,6,3,2,6,5,3,2,6,5,4,3,2,5,4,
       3,2,5,4,3,2,6,5,4,3,2,7,6,3,2,7,6,3,2,7,6,
       3,2,6,5,4,3,2,5,4,3,2,1)
 
z <- cummax(y)*.5
 
length(x)==length(y)
cube(x,y,z)
movie3d(spin3d(axis=c(0,0,1), rpm=20), duration=2.95) 

 
 # Let's see how sin and cos can work together
z <- seq(0,6,.1)
x <- sin(pi*z)*z
y <- cos(pi*z)*z
 
clear3d()
cube(x,y,z*2, scale=.75)
movie3d(spin3d(axis=c(0,0,1), rpm=20), duration=2.95) 
 

 
# Now let's look at some of the prototyping for
# my 3D reasoning items.
clear3d()
vlist <- c(0,0,0)
for (i in 1:15) {
  cube(vlist[1],vlist[2],vlist[3])
  step <- sample(1:3, 1)
  vlist[step] <- vlist[step]+(-1)^rbinom(1,1,.25)
}
rgl.material(shininess=1)
bg3d("white")
clear3d(type = "lights")
 
rgl.viewpoint(theta = 90, phi = 0, fov = 0)
rgl.snapshot("2014-09-09angle1.png") 

 
 
rgl.viewpoint(theta = 0, phi = 0, fov = 0)
rgl.snapshot("2014-09-09angle2.png") 

 
 
rgl.viewpoint(theta = 0, phi = 90, fov = 0)
rgl.snapshot("2014-09-09angle3.png")
 

rgl.light()
rgl.viewpoint(theta = 180, phi = 20, fov = 60)
rgl.snapshot("2014-09-09cubes3d1.png") 

 
 
rgl.viewpoint(theta = -20, phi = -20, fov = 60)
rgl.snapshot("2014-09-09cubes3d2.png")
 

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