Haptic display of 3D liquids for interactive applications

Abstract

We challenge ourselves to allow a user to feel how to stir a pool of 3D fluid in a virtual environment. Fluids are objects where the shape can not be defined using conventional polygons, and the graphical rendering and haptic rendering are purely based on mathematical calculation from the Navier-Stokes equation. Through a haptic probe the user is able to introduce perturbations in a pool of simulated liquid, and real-time haptic force feedback enables visualization of the effects of this interaction. We innovate by developing efficient methods for realtime interaction with the simulation of viscous incompressible fluids, suitable for higly interactive applications such as computer games. We focus on the problem of producing haptic visualization of real-time simulation that resembles the tactile sensation the user perceives from real fluids.