3D Navigation Vector Extrapolator for Multi-Touch Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D environment navigation systems using multi-touch interfaces lack the ability to intuitively manipulate 3D models by maintaining the original location of touch points under the user's fingers, as they primarily perform relative movements without using the 3D environment as a constraint, limiting navigation to 2D gestures.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a vector extrapolator to translate 2D inputs into 3D vectors, allowing a perspective locator to relocate the viewing perspective based on these extrapolations, ensuring that the original 3D locations under the touch points remain consistent during movement, thereby enabling intuitive 3D navigation using multi-touch gestures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If 2D touch inputs are directly mapped to 3D environment navigation, then the interface is simple and intuitive, but the navigation is limited to 2D gestures and cannot maintain original 3D points under fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The system extends 2D touch gestures into 3D space by extrapolating touch movements along view vectors. When a user touches and drags on the 2D display, the system calculates the corresponding 3D point and moves the camera along the view vector direction, enabling 3D navigation while maintaining the touched point under the finger. This dimensionality extension allows simple 2D gestures to control complex 3D environments.
2Ease of manufacture
If relative movement navigation is used, then the implementation is straightforward, but the original 3D locations under touch points are not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously tracks the position of touch points on the 2D display and the corresponding 3D points in the virtual environment. During camera movement, the system calculates whether the original 3D point remains under the user's finger by comparing the projected position with the extrapolated position. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate maintenance of touch point locations while enabling natural 3D navigation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple 3D vectors are extrapolated from 2D inputs, then accurate 3D navigation is achieved, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores view vectors from the 3D environment to the camera position before navigation operations. When a touch gesture occurs, the system retrieves these pre-computed vectors and performs simple extrapolation along the vector direction, rather than calculating complex 3D transformations in real-time. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces computational complexity while maintaining accurate 3D navigation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for 3-D environment manipulation is disclosed. A vector extrapolator is configured to extrapolate an input into a 3-D space to establish a 3-D vector extrapolation. A perspective locator is configured to relocate a viewing perspective based on the 3-D vector extrapolation.