Interactive Elastic Deformation of 3D Images

Abstract

The standard workflow of a haptic device takes the position of the effector in space and sends a force vector in return. This paradigm naturally meets the behaviour shown in elastic materials, where the resistant force of a body is proportional to the displacements created. In fact many works have designed methods to simulate interaction with linear-elastic bodies, covering different techniques from spring-mass structures to specific volumetric representations. However, realistic simulation of volumetric data is still an open issue. Not only is it challenging due to the complex relations that govern the real elastic behaviour, but also because of the huge amount of data that needs to be processed. In this paper we propose a technique to interactively deform 3D images, such as those acquired by a CT scanner. While producing a physically plausible haptic feedback, deformation and visualization algorithms produce an efficient and natural feeling. Using a free form deformation structure as a wrapper, it is possible to deform complex structures at high frame rates, independently of the size of the volume.