Advanced 3D Human Simulation Components with Thermal/Haptic Feedback and Tissue Deformation

In integrating the following three significant components for its research/research and development (R/R&D) effort, the power of this candidate Phase I project will be demonstrated through the Collaborative Virtual Environment Simulation Tool (CVEST):1. Software Application Development Toolkit 2. Physiological Hardware Interface3. Technology Integration ManagerThe multi-faceted CVEST development environment operates as a plug-and-play interface to various software and hardware products specializing in virtual reality-based simulation development. The final Phase I demonstration will feature the muscular mass/tissue deformation within a digital virtual human interface (DVH) to show performance data (physiological, biomechanical, etc). This STTR Phase I candidate project will concentrate on some new physiological hardware/haptic devices to produce tactile feedback to the user. These range from gross or large object reporting to more fine-grain/granular tactile sensing to thermal sensing devices. In addition, a COTS-based Global Position System (GPS) will be analyzed as wireless tracking source for the user. For NASA and commercial domains, this Phase I simulation facility, with its physiological/biomechanical functionality, could be implemented in software and integrated to enable realistic simulations of the forces exerted on and by users (astronauts, divers, etc.) as they work in various environments.