Finger sculpting with Digital Clay: 3D shape input and output through a computer-controlled real surface

The NSF Digital Clay project is focused on the design, prototyping, integration, and validation of a computer-controlled physical device capable of taking any of a wide range of possible shapes in response to changes in a digital 3D model or to changes in the pressure exercised upon it by human hands. Although it clearly is a natural and unavoidable evolution of 3D graphical user interfaces, its unprecedented capabilities constitute a major leap in technologies and paradigms for 3D display, for 3D input, and for collaborative 3D design. In this paper, we provide an overview of the Digital Clay project and discuss the challenges, design choices, and initial solutions for a new finger sculpting interface designed for the Digital Clay and prototyped using conventional 3D I/O hardware.