Continuous Collision Detection Between Points and Signed Distance Fields

Abstract

We present an algorithm for fast continuous collision detection between points and signed distance fields. Such robust queries are often needed in computer animation, haptics and virtual reality applications, but have so far only been investigated for polygon (triangular) geometry representations. We demonstrate how to use an octree subdivision of the distance field for fast traversal of distance field cells. We also give a method to combine octree subdivision with points organized into a tree hierarchy, for efficient culling of continuous collision detection tests. We apply our method to multibody rigid simulations, and demonstrate that our method accelerates continuous collision detection between points and distance fields by an order of magnitude.