Development of stereoscopic-haptic virtual environments

Development of visual environments for surgical simulation, using newly available haptic interface and stereoscopic technologies, is a major challenge. Computer haptics simulates human sense of touch. Stereoscopy simulates our natural depth perception, unlike technologies that display 3D information in a flat 2D environment. Integration of these two senses enhances sense of realism. Thus by coupling force-feedback (or haptic) devices with a stereoscopic display, results in the illusion of being "inside" a virtual world, by being able to "see" and "feel" 3D virtual environment. The PC/NT based solution presented in this paper, offers a developer an inexpensive, easy-to-use technique for generating stereoscopic-haptic environment. This solution can transform the virtual environment from a flat, formless 2D experience to a more realistic and solid 3D experience. Our initial application will be to make 3D organ models from a reproductive age woman (Lucy 2.0) stereoscopic haptic.