Constrained 3D navigation with 2D controllers

Navigation through 3D spaces is required in many interactive graphics and virtual reality applications. The authors consider the subclass of situations in which a 2D device such as a mouse controls smooth movements among viewpoints for a "through the screen" display of a 3D world. Frequently, there is a poor match between the goal of such a navigation activity, the control device, and the skills of the average user. They propose a unified mathematical framework for incorporating context-dependent constraints into the generalized viewpoint generation problem. These designer-supplied constraint modes provide a middle ground between the triviality of a single camera animation path and the confusing excess freedom of common unconstrained control paradigms. They illustrate the approach with a variety of examples, including terrain models, interior architectural spaces, and complex molecules.

[1]  Jock D. Mackinlay,et al.  Rapid controlled movement through a virtual 3D workspace , 1990, SIGGRAPH.

[2]  WareColin,et al.  Exploration and virtual camera control in virtual three dimensional environments , 1990 .

[3]  Gregory M. Nielson,et al.  Direct manipulation techniques for 3D objects using 2D locator devices , 1987, I3D '86.

[4]  Norman I. Badler,et al.  Automatic viewing control for 3D direct manipulation , 1992, I3D '92.

[5]  Ken Shoemake,et al.  Animating rotation with quaternion curves , 1985, SIGGRAPH.

[6]  G. Nielson Smooth Interpolation of Orientations , 1993 .

[7]  Abigail Sellen,et al.  A study in interactive 3-D rotation using 2-D control devices , 1988, SIGGRAPH.

[8]  Frederick P. Brooks,et al.  Walkthrough—a dynamic graphics system for simulating virtual buildings , 1987, I3D '86.

[9]  Warren Robinett,et al.  Implementation of flying, scaling and grabbing in virtual worlds , 1992, I3D '92.

[10]  P. Thorndyke,et al.  Individual differences in procedures for knowledge acquisition from maps , 1980, Cognitive Psychology.

[11]  Ken Shoemake,et al.  Arcball Rotation Control , 1994, Graphics Gems.

[12]  Steven K. Feiner,et al.  Automated presentation planning of animation using task decomposition with heuristic reasoning , 1993 .

[13]  Andrew J. Hanson,et al.  Space Walking , 1995, IEEE Visualization.

[14]  P. Thorndyke,et al.  Spatial learning and reasoning skill , 1981 .

[15]  Steven K. Feiner,et al.  Issues in the automated generation of animated presentations , 1990 .

[16]  Barbara Hayes-Roth,et al.  Differences in spatial knowledge acquired from maps and navigation , 1982, Cognitive Psychology.

[17]  N. Steenrod Topology of Fibre Bundles , 1951 .

[18]  Sung Yong Shin,et al.  A general construction scheme for unit quaternion curves with simple high order derivatives , 1995, SIGGRAPH.

[19]  J. Schlag VIII.4 – USING GEOMETRIC CONSTRUCTIONS TO INTERPOLATE ORIENTATION WITH QUATERNIONS , 1991 .

[20]  Andrew J. Hanson The rolling ball , 1992, Graphics Gems III.

[21]  John F. Hughes,et al.  Smooth interpolation of orientations with angular velocity constraints using quaternions , 1992, SIGGRAPH.

[22]  Andrew J. Hanson,et al.  Gravitation, Gauge Theories and Differential Geometry , 1980 .

[23]  Mark Billinghurst,et al.  Adding intelligence to the interface , 1996, Proceedings of the IEEE 1996 Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium.

[24]  Steven M. Drucker,et al.  CINEMA: a system for procedural camera movements , 1992, I3D '92.

[25]  Colin Ware,et al.  Exploration and virtual camera control in virtual three dimensional environments , 1990, I3D '90.

[26]  Ken Shoemake Fiber Bundle Twist Reduction , 1994, Graphics Gems.