Systems and methods for manipulating a virtual environment

A method for manipulating virtual objects within a virtual environment comprising:

• tracking an orientation of a touch sensor surface within a real space;
• orienting a virtual object globally within the virtual environment based on the orientation of the touch sensor surface in the real space;
• receiving a touch image defining a magnitude and a position of a force input on the touch sensor surface;
• rotating the virtual object locally about a first axis within the virtual environment based on the position of the force input on the touch sensor surface;
• and
• rotating the virtual object locally about a second axis within the virtual environment based on the magnitude of the force input on the touch sensor surface, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

A method for manipulating a virtual environment comprising, at a first time:

• mapping a touch sensor surface to a virtual surface in a virtual environment;
• receiving a touch image defining a magnitude and a position of a first force input on the touch sensor surface;
• defining a direction of a first vector based on the position of the first force input;
• defining a magnitude of the first vector based on the magnitude of the first force input;
• and
• manipulating the virtual surface within the virtual environment according to the magnitude and the direction of first vector.