Collision Prediction using MKtrees

M. Franquesa-Niubó and P. Brunet
Polytechnical University of Catalonia
Software Department
08028 Barcelona
Spain

Abstract

In this paper, the collision prediction between polyhedra under screw motions and a static scene using a new K dimensional tree data structure, Multidimensional Kdtree, named MKtree, is introduced. In a complex scene containing a high number of individual objects, the MKtree represents a hierarchical subdivision of the scene objects that guarantees a small space overlap between node regions. The proposed MKtree data structure succeeds in performing simultaneously  space and scene subdivision. MKtrees are useful for broad phase collision and proximity detection tests and for time-critical rendering in large environments requiring external memory storage. The paper proposes an efficient broad phase collision prediction algorithm. Examples in ship design applications are presented and discussed.