Patent ID: 7472047

Claim:
A system for moving a simulated-multi-articulated structure in relation to the movement of an analogous physical-multi-articulated structure, where said simulated-multi-articulated structure moves in a simulated environment comprising a simulated impediment to free motion, where said physical-multi-articulated structure moves in an environment lacking an analogous physical impediment, said system comprising: a device for measuring the configuration of said physical-multi-articulated structure and the spatial placement of said physical-multi-articulated structure relative to an inertial reference frame and providing digitized signals associated with the configuration and spatial placement; and a data processor, comprising data related to the spatial placement of said simulated impediment and constraints of said simulated impediment and said simulated-multi-articulated structure, for receiving said digitized signals and modifying said digitized signals using said data to generate a set of modified signals specifying the configuration and spatial placement of said simulated-multi-articulated structure, such that when said simulated-multi-articulated structure encounters said simulated impediment, the configuration and spatial placement of said simulated-multi-articulated structure is in part determined by the constraints causing said simulated-multi-articulated structure to flex, said flex being manifested in displacement of multiple points of the simulated-multi-articulated structure relative to a non-flex position thereof.