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.

翻译：三维高斯抛雪法（3D GS）近期作为显式辐射场与计算机图形学领域的一项变革性技术崭露头角。这种创新方法以利用数百万个三维高斯体为特征，显著区别于主要采用隐式坐标基模型将空间坐标映射为像素值的神经辐射场（NeRF）方法。3D GS凭借其显式场景表示与可微分渲染算法，不仅具备实时渲染能力，更引入了前所未有的控制层级与可编辑性，这使其有望成为下一代三维重建与表示的颠覆性技术。本文首次系统梳理了3D GS领域的最新进展与关键贡献。我们首先深入探析3D GS背后的基本原理与发展驱动力，为理解其重要性奠定基础。讨论核心聚焦于3D GS的实际应用价值——通过实现实时性能，该技术开辟了从虚拟现实到交互式媒体等广泛的应用场景。同时，本文补充了主流3D GS模型的对比分析，基于多项基准任务评估其性能与实用效能。本综述最后指出了当前挑战，并提出了该领域的潜在研究方向。通过本次系统梳理，我们旨在为新手与资深研究人员提供有价值的参考资源，推动可应用且显式的辐射场表示技术进一步探索与进步。