Interactive Walkthrough of Large CAD Models

Principal Investigator: Dinesh Manocha
Funding Agency: Office of Naval Research
Agency Number: N00014-97-1-0631

Abstract
We propose a design and an implementation of a system for interactive walkthrough of large CAD models. The system will be interfaced with the immersive hardware and used for applications like immersive modeling, design evaluation, simulation and training. Our emphasis is to develop better algorithms, software systems and demonstrate their applications. The set of problems include:

• Hierarchical and multiresolution representation of models for fast display.
• Fast techniques for visibility culling.
• Use of textures for representing geometry and radiositized meshes.
• Interactive display of large polygonal, sculptured and solid models on current graphics systems.
• Interactive collision detection between geometric models and collision response using haptic interfaces.

We expect to integrate the systems with the graphics and immersive hardware and use them for immersive modeling and design evaluation of submarines and ship models. The goal is to create an environment where the user will explore a model of a submarine or a ship in the same way as he would explore a real one -- by walking around it. Eventually such systems will also be useful for experiential training, crisis management and integrated damage control training technology.

We have been collaborating with researchers at Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding and expect to transfer the technology to these organizations. The complexity of the large-scaled models used as part of this research will also serve as a driving problem for model building and real-time rendering research.

The algorithms and systems developed will also have a significant impact on computer graphics, computer-aided design, robotics and physically-based modeling.