From: John Stone (johns_at_ks.uiuc.edu)
Date: Tue Nov 07 2006 - 16:40:45 CST

Hi,
  With the current versions of VMD, you need either the
HDAPI or Ghost haptic toolkit, and a compatible version of VRPN.
The HDAPI/Ghost toolkits encompasses the low level haptic device
drivers that actually control the hardware. VRPN communicates with HDAPI
or Ghost, and presents a generalized abstract interface
which implements a TCP/IP network socket communication mechanism for
client applications such as VMD. VMD talks to VRPN and tells VRPN
what it wants the haptic device to do, and VRPN relays this and manages
the low-level operations it communicates to HDAPI or Ghost.
(HDAPI == OpenHaptics toolkit)

So, in order to use VMD with a haptic device, you need to setup a
VRPN server, and have the VRPN server successfully talking to HDAPI
or Ghost which drives the specific haptic device you're using.
Once you have the VRPN server setup, you'll make a .vmdsensors file
and this will tell VMD how to connect to the appropriate server, and
what servers to list in the Graphics->Tools menu. From there, the process
just involves connecting to a VRPN server and adjusting the Tools menu
settings to give a good haptic response. Most of the details for
this process are described in the VMD User's Guide, and on the IMD
sub-page of the VMD home page:
  http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/vmd/imd/

Once you have the haptic device up and running with VMD, you can then
follow the IMD tutorials, but you can use the haptic device for control
rather than using the mouse:
  http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Training/Tutorials/

Cheers,
  John Stone
  vmd_at_ks.uiuc.edu

On Mon, Nov 06, 2006 at 03:39:36PM +0900, preeda wrote:
> Dear Prof. <http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~emad/> Emad Tajkhorshid
>
> My name is preeda now I am studying at the University of Tokyo, Japan.
> Now I am trying to connect a phantom haptic device to the NAMD and VMD
> programs.
> Do you have any advice or suggested methods that are most suitable to
> connect a phantom with NAMD and VMDprograms.
> Could you please briefly explain about how to connect a phantom with
> NAMD,VMD program?
> What the different between Openhaptics toolkit, Ghost SDK, and VRPN in
> accessing the phantom device and connecting to NAMD, VMD?
>
> I really appreciate your kindness.
> I am looking forward to hearing your precious comment.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Preeda Chantanakajornfung
>

-- 
NIH Resource for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801
Email: johns_at_ks.uiuc.edu                 Phone: 217-244-3349
  WWW: http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~johns/      Fax: 217-244-6078