Collaborative Geometrical Modeling in Immersive Virtual Environments

Although single person virtual environment systems can aid the individual in particular aspects of work they do not address issues of interaction and collaboration between participants and how these can enhance productivity. We present a system for geometrical modeling which permits collaboration between designers at physically separated sites to build and modify objects composed of free-form surfaces. The system is immersive therefore allowing workers not only to be in the same environment as the objects they're designing, but to come together and interact in the same extended space. In this context higher levels of interaction between workers must be used to cooperatively design and modify complex objects. We realise the importance of appropriate behaviour and provide tools which are intuitive in their use. These tools enable the designer to use natural hand and body motion to sweep out complex surfaces and to interactively deform and reshape them. These objects can in turn be seamed together and used as components for more complex and higher level structures.