Image-based techniques in a hybrid collision detector

Most collision detection methods developed so far are based on geometrical object-space interference tests. While this remains the basic mode of investigation for geometric algorithms, the requirements for interactive rates and complex geometry predominate in commercial applications. In this article, we propose a new mode of collision detection based on an image-space approach. This approach breaks the object-space collision detection bottleneck by distributing the computational load onto the hardware graphics pipeline. The image-space approach, in conjunction with efficient bounding-box strategies in the object-space, has the potential to handle complex object interactions at interactive rates.