The haptic rendering of polygonal models involving deformable tools

The sophistication of simulations for training and analysis is increasing with users demanding higher quality virtual environments. Complex polygonal models are often required to achieve the desired realism but put a strain on the necessary frame rates. Haptic Feedback is now used in many simulations for applications ranging from medical training to virtual prototyping. With the high haptic update rate and the desire to include complex polygonal models a framework is required which can represent a complex scene for haptic applications. Rigid tools are often used in haptic simulations such as scalpels in surgical applications. However, very often the rigid property of the simulated tool does not correspond to the flexibility of the tool in the real world. This paper describes a method for the haptic rendering of deformable tools to improve the realism of interactive simulations.