Patent ID: 7084867

Claim:
A method for generating CAD/CAM postures for a tool operating on a body including: storing a representation of the tool and a representation of said body in a computer; using a user controlled haptic interface device to control simulated movement of the tool relative to the body; detecting any collision between the tool and the body for a given posture, including the position on each for each collision, the direction of the collision, and the penetration of the tool into the body; converting the detected direction, point and penetration for each collision into at least one force vector on the tool; summing the force vectors for a given posture; applying said at least one force vector as a corresponding feedback force vector to said interface device, and thus to the user; and storing a plurality of CAD/CAM postures of the tool to form a posture map, each of the plurality of postures indicating where the tool collides with the body at a working surface of the tool, but does not otherwise collide with the tool, the plurality of postures stored in the posture map subsequently referenceable to determine, at least in part, a force-feedback vector, wherein only CAD/CAM postures which at least meet selected criteria are stored.