Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!ginosko!cg-atla!hjortsho From: hjortsho@cg-atla.UUCP (Erik Hjortshoj) Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng Subject: Re: one-finger keyboard Message-ID: <7813@cg-atla.UUCP> Date: 24 Oct 89 23:06:43 GMT References: <1989Oct6.221013.8269@agate.berkeley.edu> <1259@cbnewsj.ATT.COM> <783@cogsci.ucsd.EDU> <1989Oct16.012114.23142@agate.berkeley.edu> <2470@ge-dab.GE.COM> Reply-To: hjortsho@cg-atla.UUCP (Erik Hjortshoj) Organization: Agfa Compugraphic Division Lines: 45 In article <2470@ge-dab.GE.COM> bowden@cadmat.UUCP (Bowden) writes: >I would propose a concept something like a "slider" to select the next >letter, number, or punctuation the person wanted to output. This idea >would allow a person to move a finger positionally left or right, and >the result would be that the one-character display would show the >result. For example the display might sequence through the alphabet >from a to z as the person moved his(her) finger left to right across >the slider (an area sensitive to finger movement). Next, the digits >(0-9) might be shown, and lastly, punctuation. (I'm sure other symbols >could be added.) Perhaps another display would show the result so far. > >Gary In the movie _Outland_ I believe that I saw the characters entering text rapidly with just one hand. Nice touch. Anyway I tried to figure out how such a device might work and came up with the following. The device would be a slider, like you described. It would be a handle that would fit in the palm of your hand and allow each of your fingers to rest on a button. The handle would pivot back and forth with many notched positions. Each button would yeild a different character or function when released in a given notch. When a button is pressed the device would display the character that it will yield when the button is released. This display could be on the input device and/or the screen. The last notch could be an escape for all buttons. Thus the user wouldn't have to print a character if he/she didn't find it under one of the buttons. For the our use the buttons might hold: Uppercase letters, Lowercase letters, Numbers and symbols, common symbols and functions. (four buttons) The thumb could also have a button (maybe this could escape the other buttons too). I decided that even after training, this wouldn't be that fast. But it might be usefull for portable use (space, telephone pole work), other one handed use and such. The idea could be extended to a toung operated input device too. -- Erik Hjortshoj Agfa Corp, Agfa Compugraphic Division (508) 658-5600 x7415 Wilmington MA. ulowell!cg-atla!hjortsho