Network For Inclusive Distance Education

Java3D Haptics meeting 20 Oct 99

Present: DB, CR, JS

Recap:

Investigation and testing has concluded:

• Java3D is a viable 3D courseware technology.
• Low cost, high fidelity haptic devices are not commercially available yet.

Direction:

1. The best way to proceed is forward looking... we will ultimately build a java wrapper around the DirectX ForceFeedback API with the idea that better haptic devices will be made, and they will likely be compliant with this API (barring the demise of Microsoft).
2. (First a proof of concept demo was completed immediately following the meeting using the PenCat Pro and the pendulum simulation written using Swing and Java3D. I decided to delay the writing of this document until I had that working.) This demo will be further enhanced this week.

Additional Notes:

Our next meeting is 27 Oct 99 at 10:15am.

We are not dismissing the idea of using other haptic API(s) and/or device(s) if need be.

Our rationale for using the DirectX API is:

1. It has finally reached a satisfactory level of completion.
2. Other APIs are device specific (except for maybe I-Force).
3. We think most "affordable, mainstream" devices will adopt this API.
4. Hopefully Microsoft and partners have already done the job of writing a device-neutral FF API (why am I suspicious...

   Back to Physics Lab Haptic Pendulum Project

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