iSphere: A Free-Hand 3D Modeling Interface

Making 3D models should be an easy and intuitive task like Free-hand sketching. This paper presents iSphere, a 24 degree of freedom 3D input device. iSphere is a dodecahedron embedded with 12 capacitive sensors for pulling-out and pressing-in manipulation on 12 control points of 3D geometries. iSphere exhibits the top-down 3D modeling approach for saving mental loads of low-level machineries. Using analog inputs of 3D manipulation, designers are able to have high-level modeling concepts like push or pull the 3D surfaces. Our experiment shows that iSphere saved steps of selecting control points and going through menus and make subjects more focus on what they want to build instead of how they can build. Novices saved significant time for learning 3D manipulation and making conceptual models, but lacking of fidelity is an issue of analog input device.