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 高斯喷洒是一种能够实时渲染的、可控且可编辑的 3D 重建和表示方法，通过显式场景表示和可微分的渲染算法，提供了独特的优势，为下一代 3D 重建和表示技术带来了潜在的变革。本文首次系统综述了 3D 高斯喷洒的最新进展和重要贡献，包括其背后的原理、应用可行性以及各类基准任务下的性能和实用性评估，并指出当前挑战和未来研究的发展方向。