Physics-based Functioning of Virtual Hand Models
(H. Sun)

Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as an evolving technology that integrates 3D input/output devices to multi-disciplinary applications. Data glove devices are one of the new VR devices, equipped with sensors to track both static hand shapes and dynamic hand movements. Data glove devices have the advantages in creating simpler human-computer interfaces than most conventional input devices for their highly coupled degrees of freedom, familiar sign language, and body reference coordinates. This project studies the contact motion between the virtual hand and objects to be manipulated by the hand. The picking models of virtual hand should count the physics laws computing the gravity, surface resistance, multi-contact points, and acting forces on the interacting object. The optimal controller of hand models for performing various picking tasks will be investigated and developed, which can be applied in a variety of hand-oriented medical and industrial applications.