Using Interact

You can establish a link (or combine an Interaction Skill with a Human Interface) and update a Human Interaction automatically without having to create it beforehand. In other words, you can update one human Interaction at the time by clicking one of the available Human Interfaces.

Before you begin: Have a manikin and Human Interfaces created with Interaction skills.
See Also
Creating or Modifying Human Interfaces
Human Interface Editor Dialog Box
Click Interact .

This displays all the Human Interfaces present in the context. At the selection of one of these Human Interfaces, the interaction automatically executes according to the settings determined as the following:

For the interaction skill:

  • The human interaction skill is proprietary over the preferred skill specified on the Human Interface.
  • If no preferred skill has been specified on the Human Interface, the human Interaction skill uses the one that is specify in Me > Preferences > App Preferences > Simulation then Ergonomics Evaluation, General. A skill defines a default for each human interface type but you can always replace it from the list menu.

For the Side:

  • The Right side is activated as that is the default, which is define in Customizing Preferences, General. Clicking Switch Side instantly changes the interaction with the object that creates to the other side of the manikin.
    Note: ignoring Control points in this case as this decision is to reach with the other side, fixed or not.

After execution, the interaction remains temporary persistent. We say temporary because all these interactions remove when the command deactivates. A little white star at the segment end-effector appears to indicate a temporary interaction.



You can also re-execute any active interaction with the other side hand (for those using the intrinsic interaction skill). This is done by clicking a second time on the same human interface but only if this limb is free of any other interaction or constraint. If this is not the case, clicking it the same human interaction has no effect. Each time the side switches, the nonactive side retrieves its original posture before the interaction.

Remove any of these temporary interactions by clicking any segment of the limb participating to this interaction (like for the IK mode).

Clicking another human interface while the default side is already in an interaction, the manikin executes it on the other side, if this side is free. If it is not free or clicking a second time after the execution, the active interaction on the default side replaces. In the second case, the side that is free and the interaction with this human interface returns to the original posture before the interaction.

These interactions remain active when you are switching between the three manikin manipulation modes: IK, Reach, and, Activate Interaction Mode. Manipulate the postures of the manikin using a mix of temporary constraints, inside IK and Reach Modes. Interactions inside Interaction Mode all operate together to find the required posture.

This capability to react at a human interface selection is also integrated in the Combined Manipulation Mode.

With this command, you can execute a human interaction by selecting a human interface without having to switch to the Interaction Mode.

Clicking a human interface:

  • Execute the interaction, if the default side was free.
  • Execute the interaction with the other side, if there was a temporary interaction or constraint on the default side and the other side is free.
  • Remove the temporary interaction or constraint active on the default side and execute the interaction, if there were temporary interaction or constraint on both sides.
  • Remove the temporary interaction or constraint active on the default side and execute the interaction while the other side returns to its original posture. If there was a temporary interaction or constraint on the default side, and the human interface, click first time and executes with the other side.
  • Clicking a segment of a limb without any active temporary interaction or constraint activates the IK on this limb.
  • Clicking a segment of a limb with an active temporary interaction or constraint removes the latest.