Abstract: A method for haptically deforming a virtual surface within a haptic virtual environment is used to plastically deform the virtual surface of a virtual object by sensing a user's position in real space, determining a haptic interface location in the haptic environment based thereon, and determining whether the virtual surface collides with the haptic interface location. Upon detection of a collision above a threshold force, a visual representation of the virtual surface is plastically deformed and a corresponding force is calculated and fed back to the user. The virtual surface can be visco-elastically deformed.

Abstract: A method for generating a haptic interactive representation including the steps of defining a haptic interaction space and building a hierarchical construct, for use within the haptic interaction space, using a plurality of underlying constructs. In one embodiment the method includes determining the forces to be applied to a user by generating a haptic interactive, sensing a position of a user in real space, determining a haptic interface location in the haptic interaction space in response to the position of the user in real space and determining whether the virtual object collides with the haptic interface location. The invention also relates to a method for interacting with a haptic interactive representation.