Natural user interfaces and development of application for multi - touch devices

Sašo Zagoranski (2009) Natural user interfaces and development of application for multi - touch devices. EngD thesis.

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Abstract

This thesis describes multi-touch technology and devices that use this technology. It concentrates on Microsoft Surface, interactive multi-touch table and presents the Surface Web Gallery application, which was built for the device. It's divided into seven chapters. The first chapter briefly covers the development of user interfaces. It focuses mainly on the disadvantages of graphical user interfaces and on the problems users face when working with a computer. It presents the advantages of multi-touch devices and natural user interfaces, which are much more user friendly. The second chapter presents multi-touch technology along with its 25-year history. Following that are the advantages and disadvantages of using this technology. The third chapter focuces on Microsoft Surface – a table shaped multi-touch device, which is capable of detecting many simultaneous contacts at once. Some of the key features of the device are: estetic design, appealing user interface and simplicity of usage. The chapter contains the device description, its history and information about its functionality. The main object of the fourth and fifth chapters is the Galis information system along with its web part – Spletna galerija, on both of which the author collaborated on as a developer. Galis is an information system inteded for documenting cultural heritage and publishing this information on the internet. The Spletna galerija portal allows Galis users to publish collections, articles, publications and exhibition openings. Spletna galerija is also the basis for the Surface Web Gallery, which is the main object of his thesis. The sixth chapter presents the Surface Web Gallery application, which was developed for the Microsoft Surface device. The application represents a modified version of Spletna galerija, which allows the user to browse collections, artwork types, authors and museums. The user can also play a puzzle game. The application has a simple design and The sixth chapter presents the Surface Web Gallery application, which was developed for the Microsoft Surface device. The application represents a modified version of Spletna galerija, which allows the user to browse collections, artwork types, authors and museums. The user can also play a puzzle game. The application has a simple design and is easy to use. Only hands are required to use the application since the Microsoft Surface device detects finger movements and gestures. The thesis is concluded with a final seventh chapter. The ending summarizes the findings of previous chapters and presents the advantages of natural user interfaces and multi-touch devices. It also describes the shortcomings of the Surface Web Gallery application along with plans for the future.

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