Extending Blender: Development of a Haptic Authoring Tool
Abstract -In this paper, we present our work to extend a well known 3D graphic modelerto support haptic modeling and rendering.The extension tool is named HAMLAT (Haptic Application Markup Language Authoring Tool).We describe the modifications and additions to the Blender source code which have been used to create HAMLAT Furthermore, we present and discu the design decisions used when developing HAMLAT, and also an implementation \"road map\" which describes the changes to the Blender source code.Finally, we conclude
with discuion of our future development and research avenues.
Keywords - Haptics, HAML, Graphic Modelers, Blender, Virtual Environments.
I.INTRODUCTION
A.Motivation
The increasing adoption of haptic modality in human-computer interaction paradigms has led to a huge demand for new tools that help novice users to author and edit haptic applications.Currently, the haptic application development proce is a time consuming experience that requires programming expertise.The complexity of haptic applications development rises from the fact that the haptic application components (such as the haptic API, the device, the haptic rendering algorithms, etc.) need to interact with the graphic components in order to achieve synchronicity.
Additionally, there is a lack of application portability as the application is tightly coupled to a specific device that neceitates the use of its corresponding API.Therefore, device and API heterogeneity lead to the fragmentation and disorientation of both researchers and developers.In view of all these considerations, there is a clear need for an authoring tool that can build haptic applications
while hiding programming details from the application modeler (such as API, device, or virtual model).
This paper describes the technical development of the Haptic Application Markup Language Authoring Tool (HAMLAT).It is intended to explain the design decisions used for developing HAMLAT and also provides an implementation \"road map\", describing the source code of the project.
B.Blender
HAMLAT is based on the Blender [1] software suite, which is an open-source 3D modeling package with a rich feature set.It has a sophisticated user interface which is
noted for its efficiency and flexibility, as well as its supports for multiple file formats, physics engine, modem computer graphic rendering and many other features.
Because of Blender\'s open architecture and supportive community base, it was selected as the platform of choice for development of HAMLAT.The open-source nature of Blender means HAMLAT can easily leverage its existing functionality and focus on integrating haptic features which make it a complete hapto-visual modeling tool, since developing a 3D modeling platform from scratch requires considerable development time and expertise in order to reach the level of functionality of Blender.Also, we can take advantage of future improvements to Blender by merging changes from its source code into the HAMLAT source tree.
HAMLAT builds on existing Blender components, such as the user-interface and editing tools, by adding new components which focus on the representation, modification, and rendering of haptic properties of objectsin a 3D scene.By using Blender as the basis for HAMLAT, we hope to develop a 3D haptic modeling tool
which has the maturity and features of Blender combined
with the novelty of haptic rendering.
At the time of writing, HAMLAT is based on Blender version 2.43 source code.
延长搅拌机：
摘要-在本文中，我们目前的工作是拓展一个众所周知的三维图形建模-搅拌机，来支持触觉建模和绘制。这种延长搅拌机命名为HAMLAT（触觉应用标记语言创作工具）。我们描述修改和添加搅拌器的源代码，其中已使用创造HAMLAT此外，我们提出和讨论设计的决定时所用的发展中的HAMLAT， 也是一个“路线图”的实施 ，其中描述了搅拌器的源代码的改变。最后，我们的结论是讨论我们未来的发展及研究途径。
关键词-触觉，HAM，图形建模，搅拌器， 虚拟环境。
一．介绍
A.动机
越来越多的通过触觉的方式在人类-电脑的互动方式的应用造成了对新的工具的巨大的需求，这些新的工具可以帮助新手用户写作和编辑触觉应用。目前，触觉的应用发展过程是一个耗时的经历，它需要编程知识。触觉应用的复杂性，从一个事实，即触觉应用组件（如触觉的空气污染指数，设备，该触觉描写算法等）需要互动图形组件，以实现同步。
此外，一个缺少应用可能性，因为应用是紧耦合到特定的装置必须使用其相应的空气污染指数。因此，设备和空气污染指数的异质性，导致两个研究人员和开发人员分裂和迷失方向。在检查所有需要考虑的事时，有对创作工具明确的需要，可以建立触觉的应用，也可以隐藏在应用程序建模的编程（如空气污染指数，装置，或虚拟模型） 。
本文介绍了技术发展的触觉应用标记语言创作工具（HAMLAT）。它的用意是解释设计决定用于发展HAMLAT,还提供了执行“路线图”的一个应用，描述该项目的源代码。
B搅拌器
HAMLAT是以搅拌器[ 1 ]软件套件为基础， 这是一个开放源码的三维建模套件拥有丰富的功能集。它有一个先进的用户界面，它以它的高效率和灵活性，以及它的支援多种档案格式，物理引擎，调制解调器等功能出名。
由于搅拌器的开放式体系结构和支持共同的基础，它被选定为发展ofhamlat平台的首选。搅拌器开放资源的性质，意味着HAMLAT可以轻易地利用其现有的功能和集中讨论相结合的特点，使其成为一个完整的触觉-可视化建模工具，发展为一个三维建模平台，从无到有，需要相当多的发展时间和专门技术，以便达到搅拌机水平的功能，。同时，我们可以利用由从它的源代码到HAMLAT源代码树的合并的变化改善未来的搅拌器
HAMLAT建立在现有搅拌器组件，如用户界面和编辑工具，通过加入新组建，其中侧重在一个三维场景用于代表修改和渲染触觉特性的物体。HAMLAT用搅拌器并以此为基础，我们希望建立一个三维触觉建模工具，它具有成熟等特点，并结合搅拌器与ofhaptic渲染的新颖性。
在编写本报告的时候，HAMLAT是基于搅拌器2.43版本的源代码。
