Three-dimensional movement specifying apparatus and method and

Abstract

A three-dimensional movement specifying apparatus consists of a track ball member, an annular ring, a first sensor for detecting the rotation of the track ball member about an X-axis, a second sensor for detecting the rotation of the track ball member about a Y-axis, a third sensor for detecting the rotation of the annular ring about a Z-axis, a secondary ball member rolling on an X-Y plane, a fourth sensor for detecting the rolling of the secondary ball member along the X-axis, a fifth sensor for detecting the rolling of the secondary ball member along the Y-axis, a central processing unit for controlling movement of a plane representing a three-dimensional position and orientation of an object according to the rotations and the rolling, and a displaying unit for displaying the plane and the object moved with the plane. The track ball member is rotated to place both a starting position of the object and a target position of the object on the plane, the secondary ball member is rolled to move straight the object placed at the starting position to the target position, and the track ball member and the annular ring are rotated to move the object to a target orientation. Therefore, the object is smoothly moved from a starting position and orientation to a target position and orientation.