Poke and Pinch is the New Push and Pull

In earlier versions of the software, you select faces in your 3D model with a mouse, then you push and pull on them to reshape and edit your model's geometry. But with SpaceClaim 2009+, the latest version released in mid-November, you can use your fingertips to pinch, poke, and drag on your model to altar its geometry.

If you're an iPhone or iPod Touch user, you're no stranger to this approach. You are, no doubt, accustomed to rotating, anchoring, zooming, and panning your photos and video clips using our fingertips on the device's touch-sensitive surface. Now you may apply the same method on 3D models.

Direct modeling,  which concentrates on direct interaction with the geometry, is a departure from classic parametric modeling approach. For this reason, touch computing seems particularly suitable for direct modelers. SpaceClaim's  intuitive interface lets you quickly explore different design iterations without being restricted by feature history. Multi-touch computing is bound to offer greater freedom in concept explorations.

Besides SpaceClaim, Autodesk has also been devoting R&D efforts to introduce touch-computing in some of its well-known conceptual design software titles. Touch-computing is a necessity in porting applications to mobile platform, dominated by the iPhone. Autodesk recently released SketchBook Mobile, a version of the more popular SketchBook Pro reformatted for mobile devices.

For a demonstration of SpaceClaim 2009+'s multi-touch modeling, watch the promotional video below, produced by the company.