A stylus-based user interface for text : entry and editing

Abstract

A computer system with a user interface based on a stylus offers many potential benefits. A stylus is portable, usable with one hand, and works with a wide variety of systems, from notebook-sized computers to computers with wall-sized displays. In any new system, the methods by which a user manipulates textual information are important. This thesis explores the utility of stylus-based input for several text-related tasks, and informally studies a number of user interaction techniques. We describe a system for entering text with a stylus and investigate user interface techniques for interfacing with a text recognizer, concluding that a stylus is a feasible input device for entering small amounts of text. We also implement a simple text editing system utilizing gestural commands and explore the interactions of a stylus with some additional user interface techniques: scrolling and on-screen buttons. We discuss some alternatives in the design of such an editing system, including the use of "markup editing." We conclude that stylus-based systems can be easy to use and learn and lend themselves to the incorporation of knowledge about users' tasks.