Development of a Dental Training System Based on Point-based Models

TLDR: A dental training system which uses surfel models and carries out realistic cutting simulation using a haptic device and gets better visual quality with less memory cost.

Abstract: Recently, a new point-based geometric modeling approach using surfels (surface elements) has been introduced into the field of computer graphics. This new type of 3D model can be used to render complex geometry with less geometric and topological constraints. This paper presents a dental training system which uses surfel models and carries out realistic cutting simulation using a haptic device. We use surfel models to render dental tools and virtual teeth models to get better visual quality with less memory cost. By using surfel models to render dental tools, we can model cutters of many different shapes. The Boolean operation of the surfel model is implemented with local update; the modeling and visual update frequency of the system is about 30Hz. Collision detection and force computation are implemented on an Octree box to simulate physical interactions between a virtual dental tool and a tooth model. Dental training systems based on surfel models can work on any cutter shape. We add the materia...