Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!jsivier From: jsivier@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jonathon Sivier ) Newsgroups: comp.robotics Subject: Re: Robot Fencer (was RE: robot pool player) Message-ID: <1990Dec24.183253.25972@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> Date: 24 Dec 90 18:32:53 GMT References: <11560@goofy.Apple.COM> Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana Lines: 31 dgiles@apple.com (Darren Giles) writes: >dennisg@felix.UUCP (Dennis Griesser) writes: >Great, with one major problem... how do you get the foils to interact? >Ignoring the math involved in the simulation, this is a case where there HAS >to be strong tactile feedback. Otherwise, you can't even parry! >Which raises an interesting question (although it might fit better on a >VR group): how could you give that kind of feedback? Ideas, anyone? You could use a real foil and have huge electro-magnets controlled by the computer to stop the foil at the correct time. Unfortunately the massive electro-magnetic fields would probably have negative effects on the computer, the VR sensing and display equipement and the human user. Alternatively you could use a pseudo-foil without a blade, but with compressed air thrusters to provide the resistance of the opponents foil. The air could be fed though a tube snaked down the arm like the wires with an electric foil. Thus the compressed air supply and compressor could be elsewhere. You would probably want to use something like a Polhemus tracker with a transmitter at each end of the pommel. That line could be extended and thus the position of the blade would be known. Jonathan ------------------------------------------------------------------- | Jonathan Sivier | Ballo ergo sum. | | jsivier@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu | (I dance therefore I am.) | | Flight Simulation Lab | - des Cartwright | | Beckman Institute, Urbana IL | | -------------------------------------------------------------------