Systems and methods for sculpting virtual objects in a haptic virtual reality environment
AssigneeSensAble Technologies, Inc.
InventorsLoren Shih, Walter A. Aviles, Thomas H. Massie, Walter C. Shannon, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A user of a virtual object or computer model uses a haptic interface device in the real world to manipulate a virtual tool in a virtual environment to interact and modify the virtual object. The user uses the virtual tool in a sculpting mode to modify the shape of the virtual object by adding, removing, or modifying the material of the object. The user feels an interaction force from the virtual tool as it interacts with and modifies the virtual object. The designer can set geometric constraints, such as a constraint point, constraint line, or constraint surface, to limit or guide the movement of the virtual tool.
Claims34
A method for modifying a voxel-based virtual object in a haptic virtual environment, comprising:
- determining a virtual tool comprising a plurality of discrete points for use by the user in the haptic virtual environment;
- selecting a modification mode that modifies a voxel value representative of the voxel-based virtual object;
- sensing a location of a user in real space;
- determining locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool relative to a location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- calculating an interaction force between the virtual tool and the voxel-based virtual object based on the locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool and the location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- producing a modified voxel-based virtual object by modifying the voxel-based virtual object based on the modification mode, the locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool, and the location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- and
- outputting the modified voxel-based virtual object.
A system for modifying a voxel-based virtual object by a user in a haptic virtual environment, the system comprising:
- a virtual tool comprising a plurality of discrete points for use by the user in the haptic virtual environment, wherein the user selects a modification mode that modifies a voxel value representative of the voxel-based virtual object;
- a haptic interface device, wherein the haptic interface device senses a location of the user in real space;
- and
- a modeling application in communication with the haptic interface device, the voxel-based virtual object, and the virtual tool, wherein the modeling application determines locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool relative to a location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- calculates an interaction force between the virtual tool and the voxel-based virtual object based on the locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool and the location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- produces a modified voxel-based virtual object by modifying the voxel-based virtual object based on the modification mode, the locations of the plurality of discrete points of the virtual tool, and the location of the voxel-based virtual object;
- and outputs the modified voxel-based virtual object.
A method for interfacing with a voxel-based virtual object in a haptic virtual environment, comprising:
- generating a voxel-based virtual object comprising a virtual surface in the haptic virtual environment;
- setting a constraint geometry in the haptic virtual environment;
- determining a virtual tool for use by the user in the haptic virtual environment;
- sensing a location of a user in real space;
- determining a haptic interface location in the haptic virtual environment in response to the location of the user in real space;
- determining a position of the virtual tool in the haptic virtual environment in comparison to the haptic interface location and the location of the virtual surface and the constraint geometry;
- constraining an action of the virtual tool based on (i) the constraint geometry, (ii) the virtual surface, (iii) the position of the virtual tool, and (iv) the haptic interface location.
A system for interfacing with a voxel-based virtual object in a haptic virtual environment, the system comprising:
- a voxel-based virtual object comprising a virtual surface;
- a virtual tool for use by the user in the haptic virtual environment;
- a constraint geometry limiting the movement of the virtual tool in the haptic virtual environment;
- a haptic interface device, wherein the haptic interface device senses a position of the user in real space;
- a modeling application in communication with the haptic interface device, the voxel-based virtual object, and the virtual tool, wherein the modeling application determines a haptic interface location in the haptic virtual environment in response to the location of the user in real space;
- determines a position of the virtual tool in the haptic virtual environment in comparison to the haptic interface location, and the location of the virtual surface and the constraint geometry;
- and constraining an action of the virtual tool based on (i) the constraint geometry, (ii) the virtual surface, and (iii) the position of the virtual tool, and (iv) the haptic interface location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.