A run-time programmable simulator to enable multi-modal interaction with rigid-body systems

This paper describes DIMPLE, a software application for haptic force-feedback controllers which allows easy creation of interactive rigid-body simulations. DIMPLE makes extensive use of an established standard for control-rate transmission of audio control commands, which can be used to drive many simultaneous parameters of a given audio/visual synthesis engine. Because it is used with a high-level, visual multimedia programming language, DIMPLE allows fast and uncomplicated development of responsive, haptically-enabled virtual environments useful for fast prototyping of applications in fields where lower level programming skills may not be widespread. Examples of specific scenes constructed using DIMPLE are given, with applications to perception, HCI research, music, and multimedia. A pilot evaluation study was performed comparing DIMPLE to another implementation of a specific scene, which showed comparable results between subjects’ overall impressions of the