Real-time topology modification for finite element models with haptic feedback

Abstract

We propose a real-time procedure for performing topology modifications on finite element models of objects with linear elastic behaviour. For a 3D tetrahedral model, it requires the inversion of a 6 × 6 matrix and the weighted multiplication of a thin matrix with its transpose. We exemplify with an implementation in our surgical simulator, where we impose the tight computational constraints of haptic feedback. Our experimental results show that we can obtain response times of under one second for objects represented by tetrahedral meshes with more than 2000 nodes. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.