A Poisson-Based Methodology for Deformable Object Simulation

Abstract

This paper presents a new methodology for the deformation of soft objects by drawing an analogy between Poisson equation and elastic deformation. The potential energy stored in a soft body as a result of a deformation caused by an external force is propagated among mass points by Poisson equation. The novelty of the methodology is that Poisson-based techniques are established to propagate the energy generated by the external force and to extrapolate the internal forces of a deformed object. A cellular neural network model is established to solve the Poisson model for the real-time requirement of soft object deformation. This proposed methodology not only deals with large-range deformations, but also accommodates isotropic, anisotropic and inhomogeneous materials by simply modifying constitutive coefficients.

Key Words:

• Deformation
• soft objects
• poisson equation
• cellular neural network
• analogy systems

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Y. Zhong

Yongmin Zhong is a research fellow at Robotics and Mechatronics Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Monash University, Australia. Prior to joining Monash University, he worked as a Post-Doctoral fellow at School of Computer Science, University of Windor, ON, Canada. He also worked as a research fellow at School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and a Lecturer at Department of Aeronautical Manufacturing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1990 from Northwest University (China), his M.Sc. degree in 1993 and his Ph.D. degree in 2000 from Northwestern Polytechnical University (China). His research interest includes virtual reality, haptics, surgery simulation, visualization, biomedical engineering, CAD, geometric modelling and reverse engineering.

B. Shirinzadeh

Bijan Shirinzadeh received engineering qualifications: BE (Mechanical), BE (Aerospace), MSE (Mechanical), and MSE (Aerospace) from the University of Michigan, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Western Australia (UWA). He has held various positions in academia and industry including research fellow at the University of Western Australia, senior research scientist at Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia. Dr. Bijan Shirinzadeh is currently an Associate Professor, and the Director of Robotics & Mechatronics Research Laboratory (RMRL) which he established in 1994, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Monash University, Australia. His current research interests include modelling and planning/simulation in virtual reality, haptics, medical robotics, laser-based measurements and sensory-based control, micro—nano manipulation systems, systems kinematics and dynamics, and automated fabrication and manufacturing.

G. Alici

Gursel Alici received his B.Sc. degree with high honours from Middle East Technical University, Gaziantep, Turkey, in 1988 and his M.Sc. degree from Gaziantep University in1990 (both degrees in Mechanical Engineering); and his Ph.D degree in Robotics from Oxford University, UK, in 1993. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering in the University of Wollongong, Australia, where he leads Mechatronic Engineering. His research interests are in the areas of mechanics, optimum design, control and calibration of mechanisms/robot manipulators/parallel manipulators, motion design, robotic surgery and organ modelling, micro/nano manipulation systems, and modelling, analysis and characterisation of conducting polymer actuators and sensors for use in functional robotic devices.

J. Smith

Julian Smith graduated in medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1981. His early post-graduate years were spent at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from where he obtained a Master of Surgery degree from the University of Melbourne and the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in General Surgery. His Australian training in cardiothoracic surgery was carried out at the Royal Melbourne, Alfred and Royal Children’s Hospitals. After obtaining the FRACS in Cardiothoracic Surgery, he spent time at Stanford University in the USA and then Papworth Hospital in the UK for further training particularly in the field of transplantation. In early 1995, he returned to the Alfred Hospital as a cardiothoracic surgeon and Deputy Headofthe Heart and Lung Transplant Service, positions he held until September 2001. Since that time he has been Professor of Surgery at Monash University and Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Monash Medical Centre. His main interests are in less invasive cardiac surgery, robotically assisted surgery, mechanical support of the circulation and cardiothoracic surgery databases.