GroupBrainstorm-Group:BluJay
From CS160 User Interfaces Fa06
Contents |
Group Members
Bowen Li
Jonathan Yen
Yimin Yao
David Hoffman
Brainstorm Ideas
A. Productivity Assistant
1. Fast data entry into PDA
2. Post-its that get translated directly to your computer
3. Day Planner
4. Cell Reminders / Alarms
5. Phone Numbers
6. E-mail/Outlook
7. Meetings
8. Share functionality
9. Write text messages (graphical / text)
B. Forms
1. Surveys
2. Taxes
3. Election ballots
4. Reservation sheets
5. Sign up sheets
C. Education
1. Cheap ELMO
2. Computer input for Non-Latin based languages
3. Detects if you fall asleep in class
4. Shocks you if you fall asleep in class
5. Tracks time wasted twirling pen
6. Exam papers
7. Children’s books that help them learn handwriting
8. Feedback on letter/character formation
9. Automated grading
10. Teach children spelling
11. Teaches foreign languages
12. Handwriting practice book / Calligraphy Learning
13. Write in printed books -> then search for your comments on computer
D. Handwriting
1. Signature recognition
2. Convert handwriting to calligraphy type (certificates)
3. Custom fonts for your computer
4. Convert to other forms: braille, audio, etc.
E. Sketching / Figures
1. To Powerpoint
2. Sketch to CAD
3. Eraser / color selection functionality
4. Realtime feedback on distance, geometry, etc.
5. Circuit Design
6. To visio (flowcharts)
7. To MATLAB
8. Math equations
9. TeX typesetting
10. Draw graphics convert to gif / picture object (like flash’s convert to symbol)
11. Animation
12. Webcomics
13. Only need to trace changes between frames
F. Coding
1. Processor design
2. Circuit design
3. Pseudocode on paper
4. ER diagram (database schema)
5. Define relations between code blocks graphically
6. Assist Computer object defining
7. Sketch out borders
G. Meetings
1. Brainstorming tool
2. Mind mapping
3. Automatically categorizes lists
4. Teleconference aid
5. Multiple user (pen) support / merge function (for same piece of paper)
6. Shared notes
7. Save xerox paper by emailing your work
H. Notebooks
1. Hazardous environments / quarantined areas
2. Hospital facility for contagious patients
3. Lab records for safety reasons
4. Lab books for students
5. Ensure academic honesty w/ time stamp
I. Misc
1. Trace path on map -> dynamic directions / better route
2. Reuseable ink/pen instead of ink?
3. Letters to distant people
4. Write commands to your computer / pen gestures
5. Paper games
6. Hangman / writing games
Idea Selection
The flash card idea was selected because it is targeted for a user group that’s easily accessible for prototype evaluation, and it fully utilizes the features of the Anoto pen: the mobility of paper and digital functionality. Moreover, the digitalized flash cards can be very useful in a wide variety of applications for students, and it provides an original solution to the limitation of paper flash cards.
Problem Description
Many students learning foreign languages like to make flash cards to help them learn large amounts of vocabulary. The problem with having purely paper flash cards is that there is no feedback from the cards themselves. The user has to traverse through all the cards each time. They have the same probability of coming across a word they already know as for a word they don’t know yet. Additionally, there is no way to group similar words together or keep multiple lists of words other than sorting manually. There's no effective or systematic method for testing oneself of familarity with the cards.
Target group
Given the versability of flash cards, our digitalized flash cards can be used by students of many different subjects:
- students in Biology / Chemistry courses for vocabularies and molecules
- students in standarized testing (ie. GRE)
- students in math (formulas)
- Foreign languages courses
For flash cards for english vocabulary, it is possible, but tedious, to print out flash cards from word lists on the computer; but formany other subjects requiring foreign characters and pictures, people could definitely benefit a lot from a quick and easy sketch on ordinary paper to obtain the digital functionalities of a computerized flash card library.
Solution Sketch
The solution we offer is composed of anoto paper in the size of normal flash cards. Dot patterns of the cards will manage to code the card id and possibly the side. The user writes out the front and back face of the card (for example, word on the front, definition the back). With the completed cards the user can practice with the handwritten cards to gain a crude understanding of the different subjects. Then they can make a mark in a field on the flash card to specify their understanding of the card’s contents. Tuser can then sync the pen with the computer, and upload all the flash cards into a library. The library can be organized by subjects, so that the computer can provide users with a better and more efficient learning experience in fellowing ways (potentially):
- Test cards that users indicate to be least comfortable with more frequently
- Show the list of vocabulary with similar meaning (if OCR is possible)
- Quiz mode with the solution slowly being revealed to give hints
- Matching game so that you identify the front face of a card with the back side
- Library, where you can view many front and backs simultaneously
- Memory game, that fun game where you select two field and try to make matches
Problem Context
Because of the ease of use and portability of physical flash cards, they are used widely by students. They offer features such as: studying in between classes with only a few minutes to spare, fast access times, and ease of making them. However, they are limited in their functionality because they are so simple. Current solutions to this problem are: sort flash cards by hand and keep separate piles, use an electronic flash card program to study (and optionally print out physical copies), or keep either the purely software or purely physical models.
Why Anoto is a good system
Using a software approach, flash cards can be made to have many more features. However, the physical cards are still useful “on the run.” In this context, Anoto is a good technology to use because it allows people to retain their physical cards while still getting the functionality that a software program offers.
