Real-time collision detection and response techniques for deformable objects based on hybrid bounding volume hierarchy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a physically plausible solution based on hybrid bounding volume (BV) hierarchy for real-time collision detection (CD) and response between a deformable and a rigid object. Design/methodology/approach – Hybrid BV can be used to build BV hierarchy for the deformable object. The overlapping tests based on separating axis theorem (SAT) can be used to deal with CD. The physics conception of restitution coefficient and other important forces can be used to more real collision response. Findings – Many methods focus on a specific application, but none of them gives an approach to physically plausible, real-time simulation of CD and response up to 10,000 of deforming primitives. The paper finds that hybrid BV AABB-Sphere for deformable object could increase the efficiency for CD, and restitution coefficient and other important physical concepts could provide more real collision response. Research limitations/implications – The paper does not deal with all types of CD, such as CD for two deformable objects. Originality/value – Using AABB-Sphere hybrid BV to build hierarchical BV tree for deformable object, and OBB-Sphere hybrid BV for rigid object. Owing to the variety of hybrid BV structures, during different phases of CD, different overlapping tests are used to accelerate CD effectively. Using important physics conceptions provides a good solution to simulate more real collision response.