PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

In this paper we present the functional (non-physical) modeling of gear couplings and adjustable building parts in a system for Virtual Assembly. In this system the user can multimodally interact in a CAVE-like setup using gesture and speech to instantiate, connect and modify building parts. The building parts, which are modeled in an XML description language, can have parametrically modifiable subparts, and ports as assembly points. The parameters of these parts can be linked in order to simulate hinges and the transmission ratio of gears. Special nodes in the scene graph so called Constraint Mediators are established to watch the port connections for propagation and adjustment of the motion of the connected parts. After the virtual assembly of such parts the user can interactively explore the functional effects of the simulation, e.g., the propagation of movements.