Heterogeneous material modelling and virtual prototyping with 5-DOF haptic force feedback for product development

Abstract

In this paper, we present a haptic force rendering modelling for heterogeneous soft-material product design and virtual prototyping. Techniques of both geometric and physical modelling of deformable heterogeneous materials are presented for virtual prototyping and product development. Haptic interactive forces and torques are calculated based on the deformation of heterogeneous materials with different material properties. A lab-built 5-DOF (Degree Of Freedom) haptic force-torque feedback interface is developed to allow the user to maneuver and test the virtual product models built for product development. The proposed techniques can be used in design and product evaluation, virtual prototyping, and other Virtual Reality (VR) applications where soft materials are involved.