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June/July 2006: The touching science of haptics |
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By Mark Sunderland
The electronic transmission of sight
and sound are technologies with
which most people are well
acquainted, but alone do not represent our
total senses. Listening to a description or
looking at a picture in our on-line catalog is
not always enough to tell us what we really
want to know. We want to touch, poke and
squeeze, just to know how it feels ñ and this
is the science of haptics.
Haptic technology enables computer
users to experience the feel of a physical
form. The sense of touch flows in two directions.
In one direction it can sense shape and
texture, in the opposite direction it can
apply pressure to sculpt and manipulate.
Haptics incorporates the electronic simulation
of this bi-directional ability and
although it is a neo-science, its potential in
manufacturing, diagnostics, and as a training
tool, is widely recognized.
Gaming has been one of the first applications
of haptics to be realized. For example,
example,
the force-feedback steering wheels in
computer games that can simulate a rough
road or slippery conditions are early examples
of haptic potential.
The potential applications for diagnostics,
training and manufacturing are almost
limitless. As a training medium, haptics is
forgiving and offers the advantage of
enabling the student to undertake difficult
and dangerous tasks
with impunity.
Much as commercial
pilots can
train on flight simulators,
simulated
surgery will enable
students to take up
the scalpel and forceps
to cut and clip
with no drastic consequences
for error ñ
but the challenge of
creating simulated
body parts that will
have a realistic
response to cutting,
poking and squeezing
continues to be a
major challenge. As
well, the ability
already exists to
capture the feel of
an object and, with
an Internet connection, instantly transmit
the sensation of shape and texture from
one person to another, or even one surgeon
to another.
SensAble Technologies, Inc. is a
provider of 3D touch-enabled digital
solutions (sensable.com). With a variety
of toolkits and a broad range of software
and devices for haptic application development,
an operator with only limited
design experience and a simple pen-like
tracer can quickly create a design or replica
of an object. The SensAble modeling
system for creating 3D complex, highly
detailed, organic shapes allows an operator
to work quickly on virtual clay with
creative freedom.
At the core of SensAble products is the
Phantom line of haptic devices, enabling
the possibility for operators to touch and
manipulate virtual objects with a true 3D
interface and force feedback. The product
range of FreeForm systems for product
design offer the ClayTools systems for digital
content creation, and a broad range of
haptic devices and toolkits for haptic application
development. The FreeForm
Modeling system is suitable for designers
and modelers in the range of industries
with workflows that include 3D scanners
and RP (rapid prototyping) systems,
including automotive, consumer products,
medical and dental, education, and jewelry.
The Phantom Omni haptic controller
(the hardware component of the system)
consists of a stylus attached to something
that looks like the upper limb of a robot
(shown). It has a wide range of movement
ñ six degrees of motion, up/down ñ
left/right ñ and backwards and forwards,
and three rotations. Two buttons activate
various software functions and serve as
standard mouse buttons ñ but it is the
built-in force-feedback capabilities that
make the novel approach to 3D design.
The software includes windows drivers for
the Phantom controller and SensAbleís
ClayTools modeling software.
Operators can import STL (Standard
Template Library) polymesh data, rapidly
modify the data to develop multiple design
variations, and then output to RP machines
or use for STL milling. The system has a
comprehensive set of modeling and detailing
tools to enable the creation of detailed textures
that can be prototyped for evaluation,
and then used for manufacturing.
Additionally, features such as the display of
undercuts with parting line color enables
users to avoid making costly production
mistakes through evaluation and adjustment
of their models at an early design stage.
Mark Sunderland is president, Biomedical
Industry Group (
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