Interactive Positioning with the Reach Mode

This provides you with a powerful positioning tool. It takes advantage of the manikin's inverse kinematics capability to reach the exact position only or the exact position plus the three orientations in the 3D space.

You can select the segment of the manikin to perform the reach (also known as the end effector) then activate the Reach Mode by selecting either of the two Reach icons. The point to reach is specified by the position of the compass. You then must snap the compass to any existing geometry. As soon as the compass is released, the selected segment automatically reaches the compass's position.

Before you begin: Have a manikin and a object in your scenario.

  1. Right-click on the compass and select the Snap Automatically to Selected Object.



  2. In the 3D view, select the target geometry. The compass snaps to the selected geometry.



  3. Select a Reach Mode icon . Place the compass at the required Reach location. Select the surface of the box.



  4. Select the segment that must reach the location specified by the compass, in this example, the hand. The selected segment automatically reaches that point.



  5. With Reach Mode still active, manipulate the compass to fine-tune the posture.



  6. Drag the compass away from its original location, the selected segment follows the motion of the compass. If the compass is picked and placed at another location, the segment tries to reach the new target.

  7. Select another segment. This segment becomes the active segment for the Reach and follows the compass wherever it goes as long as the command remains active.

  8. If the Reach Mode is active, click Undo to make the manikin resume the posture it had before the Reach was applied.

  9. To deactivate Reach Mode, select the Reach Mode icon a second time.

    See also: Using Undo/RedoConcepts of Interactive Positioning with the Reach Mode