Virtual Reality Environment for Creation of Freeform Models
A novel method has been developed using a virtual reality (VR) environment to create solid models with freeform surfaces. The VR environment emulates the physical environment for creating freeform objects, i.e. the freeform model is created in a virtual environment by shaping a virtual workpiece with a variety of virtual tools. The trajectories of the virtual tools are generated by the designer’s hand movements and they are obtained by recording the position and orientation of the motion tracker mounted on a device held by the hand. In the mathematical algorithm, the swept volumes of the design tools are computed from the tools’ geometric data and trajectories. Boolean operations are then performed on the swept volumes of the virtual tools and the virtual workpiece to create the design model.