Efficient 6DOF tools for free-form surface modelling

In this paper we introduce a virtual integrated surface modeller (VISM) equipped with two advanced tools for 3D surface modelling in virtual reality (VR). VISM has been implemented thinking that the immediate visual feedback greatly improve complex surface modelling and also creativity. The proposed new tools are progressive skinning (PS) and curve-over-surface shaping (COSS), both implemented on a bimanual virtual environment. PS lets the designer generate a new surface by interactively and automatically adding section curves to a non-uniform rational B-spline surface. COSS is based on curve-over-a-surface progressive constraining in order to deform an area of an existent surface. Efficient numerical solutions are proposed to achieve true interactive modelling sessions.