Force Feedback Toolbox for MATLAB/Simulink

Force Feedback Toolbox (FFB) can be used with FFB devices and can create FFB effect objects.

A user can create a force feedback effect object in MATLAB workspace. Parameters used to define such objects are similar to those used in DirectX FFB effect structure. MATLAB maintains these FFB objects in its workspace and also the corresponding DirectX FFB effect structure using a DLL (C++ mex-function). This DLL incorporates DirectX functions and creates a linked list of DirectX effect structures. The effect objects in MATLAB can be manipulated within MATLAB and the changes are reflected in the corresponding effect structure in DLL. Toolbox contains commands to start, stop, and modify an effect. Presently, this toolbox can create eleven types of DirectX force feedback effects with envelope structure.

Additionally, the toolbox can read the X and Y angles of the device axis along with time stamp. Time information has adequate resolution to calculate time steps in microseconds. The time step can be used to estimate velocities and acceleration of the device axis.