Accessible Virtual Sculpting and 3D Printing

Conference: RAatE 2013: Recent Advances in Assistive Technology & Engineering

Dates: 25 November 2013

Abstract:

Young people with disabilities may have a very different experience of the physical world to those without. This experience may be limited by their range of movement, fine motor control, being in a wheelchair and so on. As a result of these limitations, they may not have been able to explore the physical properties of different objects and materials in a conventional sense. New technologies are helping to provide ways in which young people who have disabilities can have these experiences in a virtual sense.

The aim of the SHIVA project is to enable such young people to learn about manipulating objects by providing a few basic virtual sculpting tools and then producing the objects physically with 3D printing technologies. The software tools will enable them to learn (in a virtual way) how materials behave when stretched, squashed, twisted and so on, and to express themselves artistically. Our main emphasis is on learning and having fun, as well as being able to do things that previously were not possible. In order to use a piece of software, the user must be able to interact with it. For most of us this means a keyboard and mouse, or a touch screen for portable devices. Some of the project's students struggle to press a single large button, while others can work with a simple touch screen or an eye-gaze system. Sometimes the capabilities of an individual student can vary from day to day. The key then behind the interface requirements is flexibility. Every student’s needs are different and the software interface must be versatile enough to cope with this. The software itself must be interesting enough to engage the student’s attention but not so confusing that they are frustrated.

We are producing a number of software solutions that will be suitable for a range of abilities. To provide the content we make use of function based modelling techniques. These techniques will allow us to perform modelling operations that are difficult using traditional polygonal based methods. Final integration with 3D printing technologies allows students to see and touch their creations in the real world. The first software exercise that we produced is a metamorphosis prototype. Here, the user selects two objects and can produce an intermediate shape that is a blended cross between the two. This shape is displayed to the user and updated interactively. The user can then rotate their object and apply a colour to it. The second software exercise is a 'totem-pole' prototype, which provides a more complex sculpting environment. Here, the user stacks a small number of objects together and then performs simple modelling operations on the stack such as cutting, drilling and twisting. The project is ongoing but in this paper we present the tools we are developing, including the interface and virtual sculpture techniques. We also present our initial results and feedback from users of the tools and examples of their creations in both virtual and physical 3D printed forms.

Source: Manual

Preferred by: Leigh McLoughlin