Virtual Acupuncture System Based on Physics Engine and Force Feedback

• Pedro Paulo Macêdo Neto UNIFOR
• Marie Nasser Aguiar Instituto de Prevenção do Câncer do Ceará
• Maria Andréia Formico Rodrigues UNIFOR

Abstract

This work presents a virtual simulator with force feedback based on a physical engine for simulating deformable models in acupuncture procedures. Layers of geometric meshes are used to represent the different systems of the human body and their physical behavior. In addition, interactions between the user (in the role of the acupuncturist) and the virtual patient are controlled by real-world devices (haptic or conventional ones) to simulate the needling process in acupuncture. Moreover, from a real-world use case, visual and tactile representations of the deformations have also been modeled, as well as the activation of energy flows, in such a way as to generate a more immersive and realistic experience.

Keywords: virtual reality, simulation, acupuncture, deformable mesh, force feedback