Point-based and meshless graphics are an area of computer graphics research that has been gaining in popularity in recent years. Here are some current research trends and applications of these techniques:

1. Point cloud processing: One of the primary applications of point-based graphics is point cloud processing. Point clouds are used to represent 3D objects and environments, and point-based techniques can be used to process this data for applications such as object recognition, 3D scanning, and augmented reality.
2. Surface reconstruction: Point-based techniques are also used for surface reconstruction, where a 3D surface is constructed from a point cloud. This is useful for applications such as 3D modeling and animation.
3. Point-based rendering: Point-based rendering techniques can be used to render complex scenes with millions of particles, which would be difficult to achieve with traditional rendering methods. Point-based rendering can be used for applications such as special effects in movies and video games.
4. Meshless deformations: Meshless techniques can be used for simulating deformable objects such as clothing or skin. Meshless methods are particularly useful for complex deformations that would be difficult to simulate with traditional mesh-based methods.
5. Fluid simulation: Point-based and meshless techniques are also used for fluid simulation, which is useful for applications such as video game physics, visual effects, and engineering simulations.

Overall, point-based and meshless graphics offer a wide range of applications and research opportunities in the field of computer graphics.