"Introduction to Sketch Recognition"

by Tracy Hammond and Kenneth Mock

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1. Daniel's blog

Summary

The paper begins with the introduction of the first pen-based computer interaction system -- Sketchpad (1963) and the advantages of raster graphics over vecter graphics (fill areas with solid colors or patterns, refreash independent of complexity of the scene) are stated. Then active and passive digitizers are introduces, and advantages and disadvantages of both techniques are weighed: passive digitizer (easy touch by finger but cursor jumps and hard to perform right-clicking), active digitizer (electromagnetic pens used, "hover" cursor, right-clicking and erasing with pen, but rely on special pen and inaccurate near borders). Afterwards, several kind of hardware (tablet PC slate, Cintiq, SMART board, USB-connected pen tablet) and software (TIP on Windows Vista, Inkwell on Apple, additional drive like Jarnal on Linux, Camtasia) are introduded. Specifically, tablet-based pedagogy shows great success up till now, instructors can make comments on PowerPoint to enable flexibility during class, tablet is also quite useful in aiding the input of diagrams for lectures, equations and graphs in students' homework, etc., also, using tablets in class helps to gather students' attention, because slates can be laid flat on desk so that the instructor can see what a student is working on. Next, the author states use of sketch recognition in different fields (music, ChemPad in chemistry, LADDER MechEng in mechanical engineering, LADDER FSM in finite state machine). The FLUID framework enables development of sketch interface, of which GUILD enables building shape description through drawing. At last, two case studies of tablets use in class are given, both show that tablets have positive effect in maths teaching. Future directions states the great potential in tablet sketching field.


Discussion

Through this paper, we are informed of various kind of sketch recognition devices and systems in use. The initial success of tablet-based teaching and study in such classes as music, mechanical engineering, calculus and algebra is a useful experience which is worth being extended into other classes like literature, history, etc. And I believe, with our effort and the advancement of technology, new sketch recognition systems will emerge at tremendous speed.