Hong-Hoe(Ayden)-Kim
Summary :
This paper introduces the first pen-based input system, SketchPad, which began in 1964, was the seminal work of Ivan Sutherland, who recevied Turing Award later in 1988 for this system. He started by illustraiting how to draw Haxagonal lattice (Figure 1) using SketchPad.
He first created SIX-SIDED figure and one CIRCLE and then applied several operations like "Move","Delete" to get HAXAGON which makes "Subpicture", and, actually the Haxagonal Lattice consists of large number of the same HAXAGON. Thus, once the HAXAGON is created, then the system can easily generate the Haxagonal lattice, author also said that handling this kind of repetitive work was the most important feature of SketchPad system. Along with this example, some capabilities of system were mentioned, Subpicture, constraint and Definition copying.
In the remaining part of paper, author shows the design details of the system, more specifically,
- Ring Structure and its basic operations including insert, delete, copy..etc.
- Strcutre of Sketchpad system, which was the typical object oriented system.
- Introuducing LIGHT PEN
- Introuducing the displaying system, such as how to magnify the picture, how to display line, circle,digit,text,etc.
- How to use recursive functions to manipulate operations, functions such as Recursive deleting , recursive merging and recursive display, as well as how to copy the drawings.
- Constraint satisfaction, can use swtich to turn on or off this feature, most importantly, it can distinguish Sketchpad drawing from a traditional drawing. By using this feature, computer can understand the people's intention. So, even people makes mistakes when drawing picutres, computer can correct and beautify them once people set this contratint to the computer.
(Following demo videos of SketchPad system shows us how it was working)
1. Brief overview of SketchPad System
2. SketchPad Demo Part(1/2)
3. SketchPad Demo Part(2/2)
Discussion :
What was an excellent system that made even 50 years ago! There is no doubt that how this work greatly impacted later HCI field and thousdans of researchers. Today, pen-based devices are becoming more and more popular and makes them easy for people to use. When compared with today's system, SketchPad is nothing more than a drawing pad. People have to use Buttons and knobs to control the drawing, which seems very unefficient and too complicated to use. But anyway, it is the milestone of today's HCI, we can see the revolutionary process of new technology from this work.
Are you sure that pen based devices are becoming popular?? I'm pretty sure things getting towards just using the fingers to do stuff (yes, oppose to how inefficient the hand-drawings would be), Just few months back we used a stylus with palm pre mobile and now its hard to find newer devices with stylus anymore....what you think....may be i'm not too technology savvy........
ReplyDeleteThose videos are awesome! And I agree that Sutherland has greatly impacted the field of HCI. Our class basically exists because of what he did. It will be interesting to see if pen-based input will make a comeback, though. It seems like multi-touch and thus using your hands is taking over the market. Drawing with your finger, though, is difficult, so there is still hope for the pen!
ReplyDeleteI agree with that. If it were not for his idea, today's HCI technology will not be developed.May be using pen will be better for recognize for computer.But as we are human-beings, I like my finger better.Let's research it how finger motion can be recognized more efficiently.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteVideos, though awesome, seems very useful for me to remember Sketchpad. Thank you for your sharing. Sketchpad, a great work with no doubt.
ReplyDeletePen-based is still not popular, because I have no experience about this kind of device. I agree with Kim that fingers will be the future in Sketch recognition due to its convenience and comfort. The most factor in HCI is how to make users feel that they just communicate as usual.
The video you shared are very helpful! This paper influence a lot today's HCI technologies. But we should not restrict ourselves to pen-based HCI. Using fingers is a good idea.Multi-touch technologies nowadays seems very promising.
ReplyDelete