Force feedback controller allows you to "touch" CGI objects
We've seen interesting 3D peripherals like the Novint Falcon combine multi-axis movement and force feedback to create immersive experiences in the past, but a new research project called the H.VR Editor takes the idea to the next level, allowing you to "touch" and interact with CGI objects. Objects respond according to a pre-programmed graph of hardness values, and the system is capable of simulating texture and events like button presses. That should make the system a hit with product developers everywhere, but we're waiting to see if the folks at DeviceAnywhere pick this up to build the ultimate cellphone testing lab. Video after the break.



















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SNP @ Jul 1st 2009 1:44PM
Imagine the possibility when the Japanese get hold of this tech...
OneLove @ Jul 1st 2009 1:59PM
"..you can obtain all sorts of hardness levels."
connmanic @ Jul 1st 2009 2:01PM
Watch the video, the Japanese already have it. :)
spiff @ Jul 1st 2009 1:47PM
Invented in 1998....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fLXdC6LRYQ
Ross @ Jul 1st 2009 2:03PM
Not the same thing. The video you linked us too doesn't provide force feedback to the user.
Will @ Jul 1st 2009 9:35PM
Ummmm... yeah it does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fLXdC6LRYQ#t=1m45s
Chris @ Jul 1st 2009 10:46PM
I've tried the same in a technology event hosting many universities in Paris 5 years ago.
It was very nice!
carahan @ Jul 1st 2009 1:47PM
We have a set of those things at Arizona State University Center for Cognitive UBIquitous Computing, (I hate the name but the acronym is easy, CUBIC). Some of the geniuses have trying to see if we can use those sorts of things for surgeons to practice outside the actual surgery room. Would be especially useful for very tricky operations obviously, not so much for the common appendicitis.
MedStudent @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:01PM
I worked on a research project with this technology you are talking about. They had a haptic device hooked up to a training program that simulated a surgical drill and the temporal bone. I spent 3 weeks using the device and then drilled a recess in an actual cadaver temporal bone to compare to a sample I made before training with the program. Pretty neat stuff, definitely helps you become more comfortable the tactile feeling of a surgical drill, without actually having to use real bones to practice on.
Mike P. @ Jul 1st 2009 1:58PM
Saw this quite a while ago at some exhibition in London... it works (especially in conjunction with a real-time 3D CGI model), but things feels a bit "sproingy".
Jason @ Jul 2nd 2009 2:38PM
I want to be able to smell CGI too
Terrance C. @ Jul 1st 2009 2:21PM
!?! Sensable Technologies have been selling that for 12 years. The have 4 models of the PHANTOM haptic interface, and it works very well.
http://www.sensable.com/haptic-phantom-desktop.htm
shapey @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:45AM
yeah - i remember trying the sensible technologies force feedback clay sculpting at a demo in london in July 2000...
shinrajp @ Jul 1st 2009 2:38PM
What so new about this technology? It's been used in lots of university engineering labs. You can use that device to program haptic and force feedback with CG graphics.
Carrie @ Jul 1st 2009 2:45PM
We had a 3D sculpting class using the Sensable Phantom arms and ClayTools software at Houston Community College. The interface isn't too bad, sculpting high-res 3d models is pretty smooth, but the models themselves have limited use since they're made of voxels.
greenlight @ Jul 1st 2009 3:29PM
These have existed for years, I played with one at my uni during a UI design course a few years back. They're very, very cool, and it's unreal how well they simulate rough textures, rubbery textures, elastic, etc.
Ben @ Jul 1st 2009 3:53PM
I've used one in Uni as well.. Did is as part of an experiment/study thing at Southampton Uni and work on being able to feel objects and have the feedback of touching.
Nice to see, but rightly so been around for years!
mike @ Jul 1st 2009 3:31PM
I believe I was promised a video after the break.
Mark E @ Jul 1st 2009 3:37PM
i think their fruits are rotten... they seem a bit squishy
thedude @ Jul 1st 2009 4:16PM
watching the way that apple reacted to being poked only made me think of--------
tactile porn, now they just have to incorporate the interface into something wearable
next thing is the USB controlled Fleshlight or maybe that already is available
although the next generation of interactive "touch" computing could also be a potential market
closer and closer to Minority Report
Hel @ Jul 1st 2009 4:20PM
In before 'squeezable CGI boobies'.
Oh wait. Too late.
Hex Trope @ Jul 1st 2009 6:22PM
Interesting tidbit, the physical simulation needs to run at around 1000 Hz in order to be convincing to humans.
sajonfalcon @ Jul 1st 2009 9:21PM
What is that little jog wheel controller? Me Want !!!
AMc @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:54AM
Its a Space Pilot 3D mouse from 3D Connexion
http://www.3dconnexion.com/3dmouse/spacepilot.php
I used to use their serial Spacemouse for Virtual Reality Design back in 1994 - it was the best 3D controller bar none, developed for the space program IIRC. I still use it with Google Sketchup now!
They have a consumer version for about £50
I also developed a Parkinson's disease simulator using the Sensable Desktop Phantom back in 2000 - it was excellent if a little flimsy and I can't see why anyone would be reinventing the wheel with the haptic part.
A.J. @ Jul 1st 2009 11:07PM
imagine the CGI megan fox w/ this!! heres the pitch
"NERDS CAN FINALLY HAVE HOT GIRLS*
*the girls are fake"
Rex Guo @ Jul 1st 2009 11:21PM
I worked on such a system back in 2000. The technique is actually patented. The 2 companies based on the same research are www.volumeinteractions.com and www.reachin.se. Anyone interested in the technology can contact me at rexguo [at] gmail.
Josh @ Jul 1st 2009 11:45PM
haha, i used one of these last year. i remember at the time they said how were at their limit on how firm they could make the "object".
Sue Todd @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:05AM
This is hardly new technology, its been around a bit now. It is a very cool technology indeed but far from new. Any search on haptics will reveal masses of info and many published papers on the subject.
We've been using technology like this for years now to create Virtual Veins: http://www.ukhaptics.co.uk/VirtualVeins.aspx a simulator to train for venepuncture and cannulation, we currently use the Sensable Omni device which looks a bit more user friendly and less likely to break than this one.
GuN pOiNt @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:29AM
um.. it's called http://home.novint.com/index.php Novint Falcon.
this stuff has been around forever.
Joachim Bengtsson @ Jul 5th 2009 5:45AM
Yeah, I don't see how this is "the next level" up from the Falcon; the hardware seems to be capable of the exact same thing. Being able to really feel the texture and hardness of objects is a real selling point for them as well, see e g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxfjFRs22cg .
10minutehobo @ Jul 2nd 2009 8:00AM
This + nanotechnology + holograms/VR = ?
Dan @ Jul 2nd 2009 2:03PM
How similar do you all think those are to patent # 5,652,603 issued 1997 (invented in 1993)...
http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=05652603&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D5652603.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F5652603%2526RS%3DPN%2F5652603&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5652603.PN.&OS=PN/5652603&RS=PN/5652603