Extending 2D Object Arrangement with Pressure-Sensitive Layering Cues

(Comment left on Jillian Greczek's blog)

Authors:
Philip L. Davidson Perceptive Pixel, Inc, New York, NY, USA
Jefferson Y. Han Perceptive Pixel, Inc, New York, NY, USA

Paper Link:
http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1450000/1449730/p87-davidson.pdf?key1=1449730&key2=6198338621&coll=ACM&dl=ACM&CFID=81067528&CFTOKEN=37358406

Davidson and Han provide a pressure-sensitive depth sorting technique that utilizes two dimensional multi-touch manipulation techniques.

This depth sorting is most commonly known as layering.
Layering of objects in current models is usually done via a mouse input where commands are done with a relative control model where operations are done discretely.
For example you can click an element and tell it to "go to back" or "bring forward"

However with tabletop systems coming that utilize multi-touch technology, these kinds of commands are awkward.

Davidson's and Han's system allows the user to tilt and uplift objects on a pressure sensitive multi-touch surface and accurately manipulate and sort objects.



The system has several features:
-Windows/objects can be peeled back to uncover objects below
-Pressure Sensing that allows the exact ordering relative to other windows
-Multi-touch commands for resizing, moving, tilting, and rotating objects
-Audio and haptic feedback for overlap and tilting events.

The system also offers the benefit of minimizing the amount of control artifacts relating to depth sorting on the UI.

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My spill:

This is a very solid piece of research pertaining to layering of objects and I can definitely see how this will be useful in tabletop system and projection smart spaces.

I agree with their observations in future work where permanently curled and folded corners would be a benefit. I'd also like to see how this kind of interaction could be applied to more three-dimensional figures on an interactive surface.

I really don't see too many drawback to this work.