[Gzz-commits] journals/plans SA_2003.rst

[Hermanni Hyytiälä]

CVSROOT:        /cvsroot/fenfire
Module name:    journals
Changes by:     Hermanni Hyytiälä <address@hidden>      03/05/15 06:37:34

Modified files:
        plans          : SA_2003.rst 

Log message:
        Reverting...

CVSWeb URLs:
http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/fenfire/journals/plans/SA_2003.rst.diff?tr1=1.150&tr2=1.151&r1=text&r2=text

Patches:
Index: journals/plans/SA_2003.rst
diff -u journals/plans/SA_2003.rst:1.150 journals/plans/SA_2003.rst:1.151
--- journals/plans/SA_2003.rst:1.150    Wed May 14 09:41:45 2003
+++ journals/plans/SA_2003.rst  Thu May 15 06:37:34 2003
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 Research Plan: Theoretical issues in Fenfire
 ============================================
 
-.. JVK, HH, TJL = locks (tjl on train)
-
 Abstract
 ========
 
@@ -58,13 +56,14 @@
 texture filtering for rendering text,
 and new types of controllers.
 
-The questions whose answers would benefit the project currently include ...
+.. The questions whose answers would benefit the project currently include ...
 
 .. (abstract no longer than one page)
 
 .. raw:: latex
-
-    \setlength{\parindent}{\fooparindent}
+        
+    \setlength{\parindent}{\fooparindent}    
+    \clearpage    
 
 Table of contents
 =================
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@
 .. contents::
 
 .. raw:: latex
-
+   
    \tableofcontents
 
 Background
@@ -121,6 +120,10 @@
     as the central item and peripherally the connected locations.
     Several of the new technologies in fenfire are related to user interfaces, 
     in particular to showing the context visibly yet nonintrusively.
+    Some of the ideas aiming to maintain continuity in the Fenfire user        
+    interface (such as focus-context) have already been proved to be efficient 
by        
+    earlier researchers. Several ideas presented in this research plan are, 
however, 
+    genuinely new and thus need to be subjected to rigorous experimenting and 
testing.
 
 Permanent data and peer-to-peer (P2P) information sharing 
     Collaboration with even only 
@@ -238,10 +241,10 @@
 In addition, several manuscripts about various aspects of Fenfire are in 
preparation.
 
 
-- postgraduate studies performed in the research team
+.. - postgraduate studies performed in the research team
 
-  Janne Kujala
-  Marketta Niemelä
+.. Janne Kujala
+.. Marketta Niemelä
   
 
 Significance of the research
@@ -320,8 +323,6 @@
 Objectives, hypotheses, and methods per sub-project
 ---------------------------------------------------
 
-TJL
-
 Because of the nature of this project, there are a number
 of essentially separate subprojects with distinct objectives and
 results, but with some underlying themes. The separate subprojects are
@@ -330,39 +331,45 @@
 Fillets
 '''''''
 
-TJL
+One of the basic principles of the Fenfire user interface is continuity.  
+Continuity helps the user to perceive the interface as cognitively 
+coherent - things are related to each other, not disconnected. This reduces 
+load in the user's working memory.
 
 Fillets[lukka02fillets] for graph rendering were invented 
 in the Fenfire project at the time when we were
-still working with Ted Nelson's ZigZag structure. 
+still working with Ted Nelson's ZigZag structure.
+ 
+Originally the term filleting is used in mechanical engineering    
+to denote or rounding corners of surfaces in order to improve
+the properties of cast objects.
 
-Filleting, or rounding corners of surfaces, is 
-used in mechanical engineering to improve 
-the properties of cast objects. 
 Our use of the filleting for connections in graph-like diagrams
 is motivated by the Gestalt principle of good
 continuation. Smoothly changing contours enable more efficient perceptual
 grouping of visual elements, in this case,
 grouping of the node and the connection.
 
-In situations where the graph layout is constrained,
+Especially in situations where the graph layout is constrained
 e.g.~Focus+Context views or views where the coordinates of the nodes
 are informative, fillets can clarify the relationships considerably without
 altering the layout.
 
+Fillets are already in use in the Fenfire project, but our earlier 
+research [lukka02fillets]_ has only scratched the surface; the idea has 
+opened several new possible directions for basic research.  
+There are several possible extensions of the basic idea: for example, 
+using some texturing to express the stretching of the filleted 
+connection to the user, or lighting and shadows to provide a sense 
+3D shape of the smooth surface.
 
 One of the basic principles of the Fenfire user interface is continuity.
 Continuity helps the user to perceive the interface as cognitively
 coherent - things are related to each other, not disconnected. This
 reduces load in the user's working memory.
  
-Some of the ideas aiming to maintain continuity in the Fenfire user
-interface (such as focus-context) have been proved to be efficient by
-earlier researchers. Several ideas presented here are, however, genuinely
-new and thus need to be subjected to rigor experimenting and testing. We
-plan to test the usability of the ideas first in basic cognitive tasks
-before implementing and testing them in a larger context.
- 
+We plan to test the usability of the ideas first in basic cognitive tasks
+before implementing and testing them in a larger context. 
 The first-phase experiments include tasks varying from very simple
 perceptual tasks (such as visual search and recognition) to more complex
 problem-solving tasks. The experiments will be conducted with about ten
@@ -379,32 +386,14 @@
 phase, fillets will be tested in a more realistic situation requiring the
 user to trace visual connections between information items.
 
-Textured backgrounds implement continuity by providing unique, permanent
-visual context for interface elements to facilitate search and recognition
-of the elements in prolonged use. Textures will be tested to show that the
-user can implicitly memorize textures during interaction with the
-interface elements and use this information to recognize the elements
-faster and more accurately. We will also conduct readibility tests on
-textures to show that a textured background of text does not necessarily
-impair either the legibility or the readability of the text.
-
 Finally, we will carry usability tests on a simulated interface, in which
 several ideas are implemented simultaneously. The users will be observed
 in realistic use situations. Behavioral data will be gathered in verbal
 protocols, videotaping, and surveys.
 
-
-Our earlier reseach has shown that filleting significantly
-improves the perceivability of certain graph layouts. 
-We plan to obtain experimental justification and 
-to formulate principles of filleting 
-in more general layouts including curved connections 
-and smooth animation. 
-Generalizing filleting to three dimensions ...
-
-    - quantitative experimental results from general graphs layout
-
-Goals???
+ 
+.. Generalizing filleting to three dimensions ...
+.. - quantitative experimental results from general graphs layout
 
 
 Buoys
@@ -467,21 +456,28 @@
 
 .. make sure about the concrete stuff
 
-*Break lines* are a technique used in technical drawing 
-for indicating
-where an object extends beyond what is drawn in the current
-diagram. It is visually clear since it uses a shape that
+Break lines are another one of Fenfire's user interface techniques  
+that have been influenced by technical drawing. In technical drawing, break 
+lines are used for indicating where an object extends beyond what 
+is drawn in the current diagram. It is visually clear since it uses a shape 
that
 is obviously not a part of the object's own shape
 (wiggly freehand line, see Fig. [ref-fignasa]_).
 We apply this technique by drawing the buoys as 
-non-photorealistical pieces torn off the target document. 
-
-To allow for fluid animation,
-the shapes of the break lines need to be carefully designed.
-For example, animating a fragment to a full document
+non-photorealistic pieces torn off the target document. 
+In the software engineering part of the Fenfire project, we have 
+just accepted that this type of animation  
+seems to work and moved on; however, this has opened a number of 
+interesting questions for basic research.
+
+An important part of the design of break lines in Fenfire
+is the fluid animation:
+for example, animating a fragment to a full document
 should not look like the edge just gliding
 over the document, but rather as if larger and 
-larger parts were magically torn off the original document. 
+larger parts were magically torn off the original document.
+In the software engineering part of the Fenfire project, we 
+have just accepted that this type of animation seems to work and moved on; 
+however, this has opened a number of interesting questions for basic research.
 
 .. figure:: ../../manuscripts/xupdf/mercury5part2
    :width: 8.45cm
@@ -496,9 +492,9 @@
 The concrete research goals are to evaluate the practical value of
 break lines as implemented in the Fenfire project and
 to study more formally the perceptual properties
-of different types of torn edges.
+of different types of break lines.
 Especially the properties of the animation are interesting, 
-because it looks quite natural even though 
+because the motion appears quite natural even though 
 there is no real-world analogue.
 
 
@@ -527,6 +523,24 @@
 This flexibility allows us to overcome the restrictions in the
 texture filtering.
 
+---
+However, designing such filters in an *ad hoc* fashion is
+extremely cumbersome and error-prone; a more
+formal approach for evaluating the results of
+different filtering methods is needed.
+
+The goals in this area are the development of a mathematical framework
+for modeling the *perceptual* qualities of rendered text
+as well as experimental evaluation of the models.
+ 
+As one theoretical approach for the readability modeling
+we plan to use the correlation function of the rendered text.
+There have not been much research on this approach in
+graphics context.
+However, we hope to be able to apply our earlier experience
+on Bayesian methods and similar models.
+---
+
 However, designing such filters in an *ad hoc* fashion is 
 extremely cumbersome and error-prone. What is needed is a suitable
 mathematical framework for modeling the
@@ -691,12 +705,12 @@
 include TEKES, COMAS postgraduate school, Sonera and Nokia.
 
   
-- other projects of the research leader and their funding (also other
+.. - other projects of the research leader and their funding (also other
   than Academy projects)
   
-  ?
   
-- researcher training, including arrangements for postgraduate
+  
+.. - researcher training, including arrangements for postgraduate
   instruction and supervision
   
 Currently, there are three COMAS postgraduate students in
@@ -709,11 +723,9 @@
 More detailed information about the research trainees' postgraduate studies 
 can be found from their personal postgraduate research plan.    
   
-- Finnish and foreign co-operation within the project
-
-  ?
-
+.. - Finnish and foreign co-operation within the project
 
+  
 Research environment
 --------------------
 
@@ -758,17 +770,13 @@
 
 
 
-- financial plan for the project, including also funding other than
-  Academy funding
-  
+.. - financial plan for the project, including also funding other than
+     Academy funding
   
-  Funding from industry companies
-       
-       To get funding, show off what we do etc, we need to make
-       showy demos every once in a while.
   
-- detailed grounds for Academy funding applied for (in particular the
-  item "other costs")
+   
+.. - detailed grounds for Academy funding applied for (in particular the
+     item "other costs")
 
 Results
 =======