Multiple Pointing Input System

Introduction

An Multiple Pointing Input System(MPIS) allows concurrent manipulation of multiple pointing devices.

On a traditional Graphical User Interface(GUI), the users manipulate computer application by selecting or moving graphical objects on a screen with one pointing device. Usually, the GUI allows only one pointing device, so users can manipulate only one object. For concurrent manipulation of multiple objects, pre-selecting or constraint based technique are known.

MPIS allows users to manipulate multiple objects via multiple pointing devices intuitively.

Prototype System

We’ve constructed a prototype system and had experimental evaluation on it. This picture shows the prototype system, that allows manipulation of 8 pointing devices simultaneously. Each device attached different colored felt on its bottom surface, and they are manipulated on the clear acrylic board. A video camera is set below the board, and captures images of devices. The coordinates of each device is calculated from these images.

Demo Video

Related Work

• Interaction system with SmartSkin

Publications

• "Implementation of Multiple Pointing Input System"
  Kentarou Fukuchi, Satoshi Matsuoka: IPSJ SIG Notes, No.61 pp. 15-21, 2000.7 (Japanese)
• "An Evaluation of Multiple Pointing Input Systems"
  Kentarou Fukuchi, Satoshi Matsuoka: INTERACT2001 Proceedings pp. 739-740, 2001.7