SymbolDesign: A User-centered Method to Design Pen-based Interfaces and Extend the Functionality of Pointer Input Devices

A method called "SymbolDesign" is proposed that can be used to design user-centered interfaces for pen-based input devices. It can also extend the functionality of pointer input devices such as the traditional computer mouse or the Camera Mouse, a camera-based computer interface. Users can create their own interfaces by choosing single-stroke movement patterns that are convenient to draw with the selected input device and by mapping them to a desired set of commands. A pattern could be the trace of a moving finger detected with the Camera Mouse or a symbol drawn with an optical pen. The core of the SymbolDesign system is a dynamically created classifier, in the current implementation an artificial neural network. The architecture of the neural network automatically adjusts according to the complexity of the classification task. In experiments, subjects used the SymbolDesign method to design and test the interfaces they created, for example, to browse the web. The experiments demonstrated good recognition accuracy and responsiveness of the user interfaces. The method provided an easily-designed and easily-used computer input mechanism for people without physical limitations, and, with some modifications, has the potential to become a computer access tool for people with severe paralysis.National Science Foundation (IIS-0093367, IIS-0308213, IIS-0329009, EIA-0202067

BoR: Bag-of-Relations for Symbol Retrieval

International audienceIn this paper, we address a new scheme for symbol retrieval based on bag-of-relations (BoRs) which are computed between extracted visual primitives (e.g. circle and corner). Our features consist of pairwise spatial relations from all possible combinations of individual visual primitives. The key characteristic of the overall process is to use topological relation information indexed in bags-of-relations and use this for recognition. As a consequence, directional relation matching takes place only with those candidates having similar topological configurations. A comprehensive study is made by using several different well known datasets such as GREC, FRESH and SESYD, and includes a comparison with state-of-the-art descriptors. Experiments provide interesting results on symbol spotting and other user-friendly symbol retrieval applications

OFMTutor: An operator function model intelligent tutoring system

The design, implementation, and evaluation of an Operator Function Model intelligent tutoring system (OFMTutor) is presented. OFMTutor is intended to provide intelligent tutoring in the context of complex dynamic systems for which an operator function model (OFM) can be constructed. The human operator's role in such complex, dynamic, and highly automated systems is that of a supervisory controller whose primary responsibilities are routine monitoring and fine-tuning of system parameters and occasional compensation for system abnormalities. The automated systems must support the human operator. One potentially useful form of support is the use of intelligent tutoring systems to teach the operator about the system and how to function within that system. Previous research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) is considered. The proposed design for OFMTutor is presented, and an experimental evaluation is described

The Application of Frieze Groups and Crystallographic Groups in Generating Batak Toba Ornament Motifs Using a Matlab Graphical User Interface

Gorga is a carving or sculpture typically found on the exterior of a Toba Batak traditional house. The Batak people use fractal (geometric) dimensions in Batak gorga carvings. In mathematics, repetitive and symmetrical patterns in planes that result from transformations are included in the plane symmetry groups. Ethnomathematics is a cultural approach to the concept of mathematics. A frieze group can be defined as a symmetrical group which arises from a unidirectional translation and subsequently generates a linear pattern that recurs exclusively in a single direction. There are seven different pattern types in the frieze groups. Meanwhile, crystallographic patterns are flat two-dimensional patterns that form a lattice. There are 17 crystallographic types of patterns with five different types of unit lattices. The purpose of this study is to generate motifs for Batak ornaments based on frieze groups and crystallographic groups using a Matlab Graphical User Interface (GUI). A total of 119 new motifs were generated based on seven types of patterns in the frieze groups, namely, F1,F2,F3,F4,F5,F6, and F7. Meanwhile, in the crystallographic groups, 153 new motifs were generated based on nine types of patterns, namely, p1,p2,pm,pg,cm,pmg,pmm,cmm, and pgg. To keep with trends, the new motifs generated can be used in everyday life as decorations or business symbols that are characteristic of the Toba Batak region