Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology which allows for visual interactive analyses of large data sets; essentially, VR displays interactive three dimensional worlds in near real-time. Haptics is the field which studies human computer interaction. Several type of haptic devices currently available are also capable of also delivering forces back to the user through a handle, or "joystick." The Finite Element Method (FEM) is an established computational method which allows engineers to study the deformation of physical bodies subjected to external force and displacements. It is feasible to combine these established technologies to create a platform for Physically-Based Virtual Reality (PBVR). This project will design and experiment with such a PBVR platform, consisting of a PC-based data-acquisition system, a haptic-feedback joystick, and a UNIX-based immersive visualizer.
