Accelerating optimization-based haptic rendering by parallel quadratic programming method

It is a challenging problem to achieve fast and realistic six degree-of-freedom (DOF) haptic simulation of scenarios involving large number of multi-region contacts. In this paper, we propose an optimization-based constrained method enhanced by parallel quadratic programming to solve the rendering problem. Hierarchical sphere-tree models are used to represent the moving haptic tool and its surrounding static objects. Given a moving graphic tool as the avatar of the haptic tool in the virtual environment, we compute its quasi-static motion by solving a configuration-based optimization. Instead of using traditional active-set method, we transform the original optimization problem into its dual problem and solve the optimum about the graphic tool using a parallel quadratic programming method. Our algorithm has been implemented with a 6-DoF Phantom Premium 3. 0. We validate the proposed algorithm in several benchmarks involving complex, large-region contacts. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve a two to three times speed improvement than the active-set method. A further speed-up for haptic rendering may be achieved by the parallel implementation on parallel processor such as graphic processing units.

Authors

• Ge Yu
• Dangxiao Wang
• Yuru Zhang

Keywords

• Haptic interfaces
• Rendering (computer graphics)
• Quadratic programming
• Force
• Torque
• Optimization Problem
• Parallelization
• Graphics Processing Unit
• Dual Problem
• Graphical Tool
• Time Step
• Time Cost
• Local Coordinate
• Force Feedback
• Collision Detection
• Current Time Step
• Quadratic Programming Problem
• Optimization Solver
• Global Coordinates
• Total Potential Energy
• Dual Form
• Minimum Potential Energy
• Primal Problem
• Feedback Stabilisation
• Total Time Cost
• Torsional Spring
• Original Mesh
• Quadratic Constraints