Product Form Design Using Virtual Hand and Deformable Models

Abstract

This paper presents a computer-aided conceptual design system for product form design. This system integrates the virtual hand, which is manipulated by product designer, with deformable models representing the product forms. Product designers can use gestural input and full hand pointing in this system to discover potential new ways for product form design. In the field of industrial design, styling and ergonomics are two important factors that determine a successful product design. Traditionally, designers explore possible concepts by sketching their ideas and then using clay or foam mock-ups to test them during the early phases of product design. Within the proposed system, deformable modeling technique is integrated to provide a useful and efficient tool is provided for product designers that enable to produce product form proposals efficiently without unnecessary trial and error. Designers can input 3D scanning data or a 3D CAD model as an initial prototype. Then, the input model is given the material’s elastic property via the construction of a volume-like mass-spring-damping system. The virtual hand in the system constantly changes gestures as the designer manipulates it with a glove-based input device. The product form will be deformed or shaped according to the amount of force exerted by the virtual hand. A mesh smoothing technique called “PN-triangle” is also used to improve the appearance of the deformed model. Finally, a physical prototype with volume and weight is generated using a rapid prototyping machine. Designers can use these mock-ups to conduct further ergonomic evaluations.