A novel variable stiffness 3D virtual brush model and haptic decoration technique suitable for the surface of the three-dimensional objects for the automobile industry are introduced based on real-time haptic feedback mechanism using a 6 DOFs input device, and the haptic behavior of an expressive virtual 3D brush with variable stiffness is studied in detail for the first time. First, the intrinsic mechanism between the deformation of real hair brush and the applied external forces (such as the

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... ending moment) is analyzed and studied in detail by introducing a bending spring to express the basic mechanical behavior for the 3D hair brush. Based on this brush model, many important painting features can be simulated, such as the softer brush tip, brush flattening, and bristle spreading. And a useful algorithm (named the weighted-average distance) for dealing with collision checking among the two objects (3D clay and the 3D brush) is presented. As long as the brush head is close to the 3D object, within a tolerance range, the computational tactile sensation force will be emerged, and the interactive painting process is implemented actually on the outer surface of the virtual object. We then calculate the related bounding ball for deformed 3D brush using a fast ball-expanding search algorithm to determine the virtual projection plane. Based on the real-time deformation about the virtual brush head at a sampling point, the 2D painting footprints, which is produced between the brush head and virtual projection painting plane, is calculated and rendered. Next, the 3D painting footprint could be easily produced via mapping the 2D painting footprints onto the surface of the 3D model in real time. Finally, the 3D painting strokes are formed via controlling the exerted force and overlapping the virtual 3D painting footprints with different shape, size, and following the moving direction of the 3D brush. Experiment result shows that the adopted method can effectively enhance reality to users, with high performance.