Real-Time Fluid Interaction with a Haptic Device

Imagine an interactive video game in which the player impersonates the role of a witch that desires to create a potion. Through a haptic probe, shaped as a baton, users are able to stir and feel the magical fluid inside a bowl. As players follow the potion recipe, they are able to feel how the fluid changes its viscosity, density, velocity and other properties. This haptic interface enables users to interact with the digital world and receive realistic kinesthetic and tactile cues in a computer-generated environment. The novel techniques described on this paper may bring this simulation to a higher degree of human-computer interaction and immersion. We present an experimental framework for assessing haptic effects in stirred fluid simulations. The system imitates the physical forces generated by the real-time fluid animation, stirring movements and fluid changes. We discuss the integration of both the haptics and graphics workspaces for an efficient interaction.