VLEGO: A simple two-handed 3D modeler in a virtual environment

Abstract

Modeling 3D objects in a virtual space has many advantages such as intuitive manipulation. To generate the 3D objects efficiently and precisely, it is useful to introduce optimal assisting methods by software instead of using the special equipment of force feedback displays. On the basis of this idea, we develop a 3D modeler VLEGO in a virtual environment. VLEGO simulates toy blocks, and introduces a number of manipulation assisting methods for virtual object manipulation. The methods have the following three features: (1) limiting the relative positions of primitives in discrete fashion, (2) detecting mutual interference among primitives, and adjusting the positions to avoid collision, and (3) making flexible two‐handed manipulation possible by the use of two 3D cursors. Thus, VLEGO can provide a virtual environment in which the intuitive and precise generation of shapes is possible without training. In this paper, the design principle and basic functions of VLEGO are described, and the effects on the working efficiency of the virtual object manipulation assisting methods of VLEGO are evaluated by experiments. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 81(11): 18–28, 1998

Analyse de techniques de coopération en environnements virtuels 3D

“…Une solution aidant l'utilisateur à emboîter des pièces peut consister à limiter les degrés de liberté de la pièce qu'il manipule : lorsque la pièce devient coplanaire à une autre, il est alors impossible de la tourner autrement qu'autour de l'azimut ou de la translater autrement qu'en la conservant coplanaire à l'autre comme c'est la cas dans VLEGO (Kiyokawa et al, 1998) (Kiyokawa et al, 1998) …”

A 3D Puzzle for Learning Anatomy

“…The design of cars, for example, is based on various CAD-models from different sources which are assembled into virtual prototypes using sophisticated 3D interaction techniques. An interesting variant was developed in the VLEGO-project [4]. Users take primitives, like LEGO-bricks, and combine them at discrete, predefined positions and angles.…”

<title>Imposing geometric constraints on virtual 3D objects within an immersive modeler</title>

“…For the last decade, a number of immersive modeling systems have been developed; for example, VLEGO [4], the Conceptual Design Space (CDS) [5], and the Chapel Hill Immersive Modeling Program (CHIMP) [6]. However, most of these systems support only constructing 3-D shapes, not imposing geometric constraints on the 3-D shapes.…”

“…Direct manipulation improves the accessibility to 3-D objects in a quick and intuitive way. For the last decade, a number of immersive modelers have been developed [3,4,5,6], though most of them are only able to construct the shape of virtual objects, not to describe their behavior or geometric constraints.…”