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.

[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