Engineering

Operating system

Virtual prototyping

Computer science

Haptic technology

Virtual reality

Mechanical engineering

Offset (computer science)

Simulation

Virtual machine

Programming language

Human–computer interaction

Hammer

When physical props serve as proxies for virtual tools used to manipulate the virtual environment, it is challenging to provide appropriate haptic feedback. Redirected tool-mediated manipulation addresses this challenge by distorting the mapping between physical and virtual tools to provide a sensation of manipulating the virtual environment, when the physical tool comes into contact with another physical prop. For example, a virtual hammer's position can be offset to ensure that physical impacts accompany each strike of a virtual nail. We demonstrate the idea by showing that it can be used to create sensations of impact and resistance when driving a virtual nail into a surface, when tightening a virtual screw, and when sawing through a virtual plank. The results of a user study indicate that the proposed approach is perceived as more realistic than interaction with a single physical prop or controller and no notable detriments to precision were observed.

Knock on Wood: Combining Redirected Touching and Physical Props for Tool-Based Interaction in Virtual Reality