Virtual reality applications

VR refers to computer-generated, interactive, three-dimensional environments into which people are immersed. Virtual Reality (VR) has been proved to be a powerful technology for solving today’s real-world problems. I am interested in developing virtual reality techniques (Visualization, Haptics, Physics Based Modeling, Constrained Based Modeling) for applications ranging from virtual assembly, factory maintenance, manufacturing to mechanism design and nanorobotics.

  • VRMDS (Virtual Reality Mechanism Design Studio)

    Virtual Reality Mechanism Design Studio (VRMDS) is an intuitive virtual environment (VE) for supporting the interactive design and simulation of mechanisms. The studio allows users to build spatial or planar mechanisms through intuitive operations and subsequently simulate their dynamic motion. Written in Python script language, VRMDS provides 3D stereoscopic immersive visualization, haptic enabled interaction, head and hand tracking and a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). A data model for organizing the data structure of links and commonly used mechanical joints is designed and implemented upon the basis of the Vizard Virtual Reality (VR) library. Within the virtual environment, the user can create links and assemble them into a mechanism by defining joints between links. Simultaneously a corresponding MATLAB's SimMechanics model is automatically created at run time. The dynamics simulation of mechanisms is enabled by interfacing with the dynamics solver built-in SimMechanics. The user may choose to run the system in an immersive VR environment or a desktop environment. The result is a versatile mechanism design tool that is beneficial to the early stages of the design process.

    VRMDS VRMDSVRMDS VRMDS

Related Publications:

  1. Alvarez, J.C. and Su, H.-J., "VRMDS: An Intuitive Virtual Environment for Supporting the Conceptual Design of Mechanisms", Journal of Virtual Reality, Special Issue Manufacture and Construction, November, 2009. (PDF)
  2. Cong Yue, Su, H.-J., Juan C. Alvarez, and Qiaode Jeffery Ge, "Enabling Dynamics Simulation of CAD Assembly in a Virtual Environment for Machine Design", ASME 2010 World Conference on Innovative Virtual Reality (WINVR10), Ames, IA, May 12-14, 2010. (PDF)

 

  • SHARP (A System For Haptic Assembly & Realistic Prototyping)

    We integrate stereo graphics, haptic feedback and physics based modeling techniques to visualize the design and manufacturing process. Our system SHARP allows designers and manufacturers envision/experience the assembly process while the products and facility are still in digital form in order to better determine the manufacturability and facility layout for optimum production. Click here for a demo movie.

Key features:

    • Physics based modeling of assembly and training process

    The physics computation is based on voxel (small cubes) representation of CAD models obtained from Voxel Point Shell (VPS Boeing Inc.)

    • Haptic force feedback through Phantom devices

    A virtual spring system is attached between the virtual hand and the manipulated object.

    • Dual handed assembly

    • Network module

    The network module has the ability to communicate with multiple VR systems (such as CAVE etc.) at geographically dispersed locations using a non-dedicated network channel.

    • Platform independency

    The system framework is based on VRJuggler, an open source virtual reality package that provides a virtual platform to VR development.

Related Publications:

    Seth, A., Su, H.-J. and Vance, J.M., "SHARP: A System for Haptic Assembly & Realistic Prototyping," ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences , September 10 – 13 2006, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. (PDF)

    Seth, A., Su, H.-J. and Vance, J.M., "A Desktop Networked Haptic VR Interface for Mechanical Assembly," ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition , November 5 – 11 2005, Orlando , Florida. (PDF)

  • Design of bio/nano devices in virtual environments

    Nanorobotics is an emerging field that deals with the controlled manipulation of objects with nanometer-scale dimensions. Due to the size of machine components, it is very difficult for engineers to imagine and understand the physics in nanoworld. I am particularly interested in applying VR techniques in nanorobotics research as a way to enhance the operator's perception (vision + haptics) by approaching more or less a state of “full immersion” or “telepresence.”

Homepage