Interacting with 3D objects on a computer is a conceptual stretch for many people. From a visual standpoint, it's difficult to view a 3D object properly on a 2D screen. From an interactive standpoint, the computer mouse works in only two dimensions. The artist's sense of touch is also ignored by most modeling packages. This is where haptic interfaces that allow users to 'feel' an object as well as manipulate it in 3D step in. SensAble Technologies' offering along these lines is FreeForm, a hardware/software system now in its sixth generation that allows modelers to manipulate and feel objects in true 3D space. The FreeForm system consists of three elements: Phantom, an articulated arm with a stylus that provides positioning input and force-feedback output; Ghost, which works as the "physics" engine, enabling physical properties such as location, mass, friction, and stiffness; and modeling software. The software comes in two flavors: FreeForm has a full suite of touch-based modeling tools and FreeForm Plus adds advanced design tools for creating precise features, deforming models, and exporting models as NURBS surfaces.
展开▼
