COMMERCIALLY VIABLE POSITION TRACKING WITH HAPTIC DISPLAY

CURRENT POSITION TRACKING TECHNOLOGY IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR TYPICAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS SUCH AS SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN. POSITION TRACKERS AVAILABLE TODAY ALSO TEND TO BE TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WIDESPREAD USE AND DO NOT PROVIDE OR FACILITATE HAPTIC DISPLAY. TODAY'S HAPTIC DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY ALSO HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE MOST COMMONLY EXPERIENCED HAPTIC SENSATIONS ARE THOSE PRODUCED WHEN TWO RIGID OBJECTS CONTACT EACH OTHER, AND CURRENT HAPTIC DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CANNOT MODEL THESE SITUATIONS CONVINCINGLY. AN INNOVATIVE HAPTIC DISPLAY WHICH CAN EFFECTIVELY MODEL CONTACT WITH RIGID OBJECTS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED. IT IS COMBINED WITH AN EXTREMELY ACCURATE THREE-DIMENSIONAL POSITION TRACKER TO PRODUCE A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE PRODUCT FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER WORKSPACES.