A visual/tactual virtual environment

A virtual environment system is described, which combines a desktop visual environment with force feedback. Use of chromakeying provides an accurate representation of the user´s arm with negligible time delays and no computational overhead, overlaid onto a display of the virtual object against the virtual background. The user grasps an unseen `surrogate object´ which is moved in the appropriate way through the environment, dependent on the measured applied forces. The user can thereby both see the virtual object and his/her own arm and fingers whilst feeling the correct interactive forces from the virtual object