Computer human interface: A sense of touch in online sculpting

Abstract

This paper describes the work-in-progress of an online multimedia tool employing the sense of touch in exploring and learning sculpting techniques over the Internet. Many game applications use haptic devices as a control mechanism yet little has been documented on the use of this controlling procedure in an educational setting. The internet based instructional device suggested here has its own suite of modeling tools accessed by a customised interface designed with widely accessible software (Macromedia Director). It makes use of a simple force-feedback joystick to control a spherical cursor which makes changes to the surface of a 3D model represented onscreen. Using Flash Web Server and the Internet, the system is able to support a collaborative environment encouraging interaction between student and tutor. It is hoped this system will become a research and development tool in online education.