Representations and Algorithms for Force-Feedback Display

“Haptic rendering” or “haptic display” can be broadly defined as conveying information about virtual objects or data to a user through the sense of touch. Among all applications of haptic rendering, force-feedback display of contact interactions with rigid and deformable virtual models through the sense of touch has matured considerably over the last decade. In this paper, we present a general framework for force-feedback display of rigid and virtual environments, and we outline its major building blocks. We focus on computational aspects, and we classify algorithms and representations successfully used in the three major subproblems of force-feedback display: collision detection, dynamics simulation, and constrained optimization. In addition, force-feedback display is an integral part of a multimodal experience, often involving both visual and auditory display; therefore, we also discuss the choice of algorithms and representations for force feedback as a part of multimodal display.