3D Shape Modeling by Integration Visual and Tactile Cues

With the progress in CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems, many mechanical components can be designed efficiently with high precision. But, such a system is unfit for some organic shapes, for example, a toy. In this paper, an easy way to dealing with such shapes is presented, combing visual perception with tangible interaction. The method is divided into three phases: two tangible interaction phases and one visual reconstruction. In the first tangible phase, a clay model is used to represent the raw shape, and the designer can change the shape intuitively with his hands. Then the raw shape is scanned into a digital volume model through a low cost vision system. In the last tangible phase, a desktop haptic device from SensAble is used to refine the scanned volume model and convert it into a surface model. A physical clay model and a virtual clay mode are all used in this method to deal with the main shape and the details respectively, and the vision system is used to bridge the two tangible phases. The vision reconstruction system is only made of a camera to acquire raw shape through shape from silhouettes method. All of the systems are installed on a single desktop, make it convenient for designers. The vision system details and a design example are presented in the papers