Planar Manipulator Display Simulator


Our lab's Planar Manipulator Display Project (shown at left) consists of lots of small robotic critters running around on a tabletop. I wrote this software simulator so we could play with content ideas for such a beast, particularly social scenarios where actor/dolls could play out interactive dramas.
In the simulator to the right, you can drag on any robotic coaster to move it around. But things get more interesting if you hit the 'd' key to place human-like dolls on each coaster. Then hit the 's' key to have them play out a scene. I'm working now to make it easy for people to write their own scenes and post them on the Web.

- Ken Perlin

 

Source code:

ActiveTableApplet   extends ActiveTableDisplay
extends   RenderApplet
implements   ActiveTableInterface
using VehicleInfo
Action
Doll
Script
TextBubble

Instructions:

To move an actor:
  • Drag mouse from actor to destination

To rotate the view:

  • Drag mouse

After you have clicked on the applet:

  • Hit 'd' to add dolls
  • Hit 'c' to make dolls gaze at camera
  • Hit 's' to start the script

see the script for the scene