Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!hplabs!hpda!hpdslab!hpdsla!garye
From: garye@hpdsla.HP.COM (Gary Ericson)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Human Factors: Paper-Like Interface
Message-ID: <2690007@hpdsla.HP.COM>
Date: 21 Dec 88 20:32:16 GMT
References: <2690003@hpdsla.HP.COM>
Organization: HP - Pacific Technology Park
Lines: 32

> Here, at the University of Geneva, we have built more than 15 years ago such 
> an interface based on a plasma display and an infrared "touch panel".

> ... for text intensive applications like text editors, we used the keyboard 
> for character input and the "touch panel" for cursor positioning and text 
> selection with the finger in a very natural way.

> For graphic intensive applications ... we used a simulated keyboard drawn 
> at the bottom of the screen.

I'm curious about using the touch panel in this manner.  I assume the screen
was vertical, meaning that the user would have to reach up and forward to touch
the screen.  Did users feel it is tiring or frustrating to suspend the hand
in the air for extended periods of time, or does the benefit of direct contact
with the graphics/data override this sensation?  Have you thought of the
possibility of a more horizontal display (with touch panel) instead?

> For those who are interested in getting more information about it, I can send
> hardcopies of papers published on this.

Just in case my email doesn't get there, I'll also request a copy here (my
address is below).  Thanks for providing it.

> Bertrand Ibrahim

Gary Ericson 
Hewlett-Packard, Workstation Technology Division
1266 Kifer Road
Sunnyvale, California  94086
USA

phone: (408)746-5098  mailstop: 101N  email: gary@hpdsla9.hp.com