Bengali text input interface design for mobile devices

Text entry has become one of the most frequent activities performed using mobile devices such as PDAs. Virtual keyboards (VK), which allow text to be entered by tapping keys displayed on the screen, are among the predominant mode of text input for such devices. It is important to design VK layouts in a way such that the users can achieve high text entry speed with high accuracy. Several layouts, primarily in English and also in some other languages, have been proposed to achieve the twin objectives. However, no such work has been reported for Bengali, the second and fifth most popular language of India and the world, respectively. The existing methods cannot be applied directly to Bengali VK design due to the problem of accommodating the large Bengali alphabet (more than 60 characters) on a small display area. In order to resolve the resulting usability-performance trade-off, this paper proposes a two-level design. Five two-level VKs representing three design paradigms (alphabetic, frequency-based and adaptive) have been designed and compared in an empirical study. The study results show that for mobile devices, the two-level adaptive design is expected to give best performance in terms of text entry rate and accuracy. The layouts as well as the procedure and results of the study are discussed in this paper.     

一种自主离散量输入接口芯片设计与实现

传统离散量信号接口电路器件由于数量多、重量大、占用板面积大、可靠性低,已无法满足航空机载系统离散量采集过程的小型化、集成化、高可靠性的要求。设计了一种自主离散量输入接口芯片,核心电路中采用端口有源泄放、SCR结构端口防护电路和错误隔离等关键设计增强数据可信度。芯片重量和体积缩小到传统电路的5‰,功耗仅为传统电路的7‰,有效解决了航空机载系统离散量采集过程的小型化、集成化、可靠性的问题。     

Computer graphics input methods for building energy analysis

An interactive computer graphics system for the determination of the thermal loads of residential structures is presented. This Graphic Load Analysis System, GLAS, consists of the graphical input routines, a weather simulation model, a dynamic thermal-analysis program and automated graphic output routines, all linked by a common database. The paper describes in detail the graphical input routines required to describe a building's thermal envelope.     

A graphics interface to an engineering economy program

A general purpose engineering economy problem solving package has been created. This software allows the user to type in equations involving compound interest factors and unknown variables and will calculate the results or solve for the unknowns. The program is also able to compare alternative sets of cash flows using PEX, AEX, and ROR methodology. The program also includes interactive graphics features. This paper describes those features.

For graphical output the program includes the capability to graph up to six equations with respect to one independent variable. This allows for the display of PEX vs. I graphs and breakeven graphs. The program will also draw cash flow diagrams and network diagrams.

Cash flow data can be input graphically, using a mouse, by selecting a cash flow pattern (single amount, uniform series, or gradient series) and pointing to the position on the cash flow time line where the pattern should be placed. The program can calculate the net equivalent worth of the cash flows at any point in time given an interest rate, or find an interest rate at which the equivalent net cash flow is zero.

This software is written in FORTRAN and can be linked to available graphics libraries on various computers. The author currently has versions for the VAX minicomputer, and IBM PC compatibles.     

Graphic design for computer graphics

Because computer graphics systems are capable of sophisticated displays of typography, symbols, color, spatial organization, and temporal sequencing, it is appropriate to seek principles for designing effective communication from the discipline of graphic design whose expertise lies in programming visible language. Examples of the author's work are cited to demonstrate how graphic design can improve three different types of computer graphics.     

Interactive graphics for mask design

The advantages of using off-the-shelf components to construct an interactive c.a.d. system are described. The particular application is to the design of masks for integrated circuits.     

Toolkit design for interactive structured graphics

Here, we analyze toolkit designs for building graphical applications with rich user interfaces, comparing polylithic and monolithic toolkit-based solutions. Polylithic toolkits encourage extension by composition and follow a design philosophy similar to 3D scene graphs supported by toolkits including JavaSD and Openlnventor. Monolithic toolkits, on the other hand, encourage extension by inheritance, and are more akin to 2D graphical user interface toolkits such as Swing or MFC. We describe Jazz (a polylithic toolkit) and Piccolo (a monolithic toolkit), each of which we built to support interactive 2D structured graphics applications in general, and zoomable user interface applications in particular. We examine the trade offs of each approach in terms of performance, memory requirements, and programmability. We conclude that a polylithic approach is most suitable for toolkit builders, visual design software where code is automatically generated, and application builders where there is much customization of the toolkit. Correspondingly, we find that monolithic approaches appear to be best for application builders where there is not much customization of the toolkit.     

Design of an ultrasonic interface for a graphics tablet

A cost-effective design of an ultrasonic interface to a graphics tablet is accomplished by means of PIC microcontrollers. This paper analyses the design and implementation from requirements capture through high-level design to circuitry. Ultrasonic transducers enable direct placement of the tablet mechanism above an LCD so that the image is viewed as it is created. Results show that the prototype tablet has up to 0.8 mm resolution.     

A man-machine interface model for ergonomic design

A man-machine interface model was developed, in which visibility and reach functions were improved. Visibility function was implemented by means of isoresponse time regions, which was obtained through visual experiment. Reach posture was acquired by the resolved motion method based on the robot kinematics, which was one of the redundant manipulator techniques. This model is expected to be used as a valuable evaluation tool when designing products and workplaces such as automobile interiors, cockpits, etc.     

An experimental graphics system with natural language input

An experimental graphics system is described which allows interaction through natural language and touches on the screen. Artificial Intelligence techniques for processing language and representing knowledge are investigated as adequate tools with which to construct a habitable graphics system. The system is evaluated and conclusions presented.     

Computer graphics for directed graph design methods

A computer graphics package is described for use on a fast, analogue, refreshed display system connected locally to a minicomputer. The package allows users to build-up and edit a database of directed graph designs, which can be used to represent computational structures, particularly electronic hardware.     

Issues in software ergonomics: user interface design and Chinese computing input methodology

This paper provides an overview of two ongoing research projects at the Institute of Systems Science (ISS). In the intelligent user interface project, the use of artificial intelligence in enhancing human-computer interaction is discussed. In the Chinese computing input methodology project, an input methodology derived from studies in cognitive psychology is discussed.     

A lower cost graphics system for VLSI design,design rule checking and pattern generation

Increasing interest by traditional systems houses in the design of custom and semi-custom integrated circuits (LSI and VLSI) provided the impetus for the development of a lower cost interactive graphics systems (IGS) for VLSI design, design verification, and the efficient generation of optical pattern generation and electron beam control files.While extremely attractive, but expensive, IGS units are available from such manufactures as Applicon and Calma for use in very large design groups, it was felt that a lower cost system incorporating the latest in design aids was needed for smaller or geographically dispersed design operations. This paper describes the implementation of one such system, and examines the various implementation options which must be examined by any group which might wish to build or acquire such a capability.     

Computer graphics for design processes in mechanical engineering

At first the paper describes graphical software which was created for supporting our research activities. This software uses GKS. Then the application of this tool is discussed especially for developing spatial mechanisms, for modelling spatial structures by means of FEM, and for designing assemblies in mechanical engineering.     

A graphics engine for design of three-dimensional structures from standardized component modules

We present an interactive, menu-driven software package which allows the design of three-dimensional structures from standardized component modules. The standardized component modules used as example building blocks in the project are rectangular solids of several sizes.

The system has been designed such that its output (i.e. the design database) can be used to automatically generate a robot motion program to assemble the designed structure.

Presented are the system database and its internal data structure, an object placement-sequencer algorithm, a height specification and interference checking algorithm, and a balance-checking algorithm. To avoid the creation of dynamic obstacles and interference of the robot arm with these obstacles, the proper sequencing of the blocks in the design database is essential. The object placement-sequencer algorithm is responsible for proper sequencing of the blocks in the design database to avoid the aforementioned problem. The height specification and interference checking algorithm automatically generates the proper positioning of a block in the design by performing a sequential search over the accumulated design structure. The stacking feasibility of the blocks in the design is verified by the balance-checking algorithm, prior to the acceptance of the block as a permanent part of the design.     

A heuristic checklist for an accessible smartphone interface design

Smartphone technology has evolved into a multi-functional device with advanced capabilities, but this mobile technology remains inaccessible to many individuals with visual impairments or upper extremity disabilities. This paper provides a heuristic checklist for accessible smartphone interface design, developed through reviewing existing design standards and guidelines and validating these guidelines with user involvement. Specifically, a set of preliminary user requirements (59 items) was extracted from existing standards, guidelines, and user requirements regarding mobile handheld device accessibility. Subsequently, the requirement set was filtered using a participatory method and then integrated to create an operational version of design guidelines. These guidelines were then used in a heuristic evaluation and usability testing on high-fidelity prototypes produced by a commercial manufacturer. A heuristic checklist for designing accessible smartphones was formed, which may also be applicable to other touchscreen handheld devices (e.g., printer screen) in terms of accessibility features. The initial set of 59 user requirements was re-organized into 44 statements in six general categories: mechanical controls, display, speech and general operation controls, audio feedback controls, touch-operated controls, and others. Using results from both qualitative and quantitative methods provides support, though with some limitations, for this accessibility checklist. This checklist is intended as a practical design support tool for use in early design phases of handheld products. A number of challenges and limitations are discussed as well.     

A systematic approach to host interface design for high-speednetworks

Optical fiber has made it possible to build networks with link speeds of over a gigabit per second; however, these networks are pushing end-systems to their limits. For high-speed networks (100 Mbits per second and up), network throughput is typically limited by software overhead on the sending and receiving hosts. Minimizing this overhead improves application-level latency and throughput and reduces the number of cycles that applications lose to communication overhead. Several factors influence communication overhead: communication protocols, the application programming interface (API). and the network interface hardware architecture. The author describes how these factors influence communication performance and under what conditions hardware support on the network adapter can reduce overhead. He first describes the organization of a typical network interface and discusses performance considerations for interfaces to high-speed networks. He then discusses software optimizations that apply to simple network adapters and show how more powerful adapters can improve performance on high-speed networks