A Smart Surface Simulation Environment

A versatile simulation system is presented, for observing the effects of different algorithmic and mechanical approaches to physical object manipulation via "smart" surfaces -physical machines which use a distributed array of actuators algorithmically controlled to manipulate objects placed upon them. The system presented is a graphical 3D physics sandbox simulator that allows the modeller to include real-world and hardware related constraints such as inter-object collisions and trajectories, mechanical properties, friction, and sensor/actuator reliability, while conducting experiments in an interactive, repeatable and controlled environment.