Computer user interface using a physical manipulatory grammar
A method for inputting information to a device connected to a deformable piece includes the steps of manipulating the deformable piece to provide a first morpheme input to the device. The first morpheme input normally triggers a first default action by the device, such as controlling a display, modifying a data structure, or communicating with another electronic device. When a user asynchronously manipulates the deformable piece to provide a second morpheme input to the device, the second morpheme input converts the normally triggered first default action to a second action generally not equivalent to the first default action. This mode of interaction allows formation of morphemic sentences to control a graspable device.
1. A method for inputting information, the method comprising:
deforming a deformable piece of material applied to a surface of a hand-held computing device to provide a first electro-physical morpheme input to the device without pushing buttons, the first morpheme input normally triggering a first default action by the device;
orienting the deformable piece relative to an external environmental object to provide a second electrophysical morpheme input to the device; and
triggering a second default action by the device in response only to the orienting of the deformable piece relative to the external environmental object, the second default action resulting from the first default action wherein the first default action causes a display of a list of items to scroll and the second default action changes the speed of the scrolling.
2. A method for inputting information, the method comprising:
manipulating a deformable piece of material applied to a surface of a hand-held computing device to provide a first electro-physical morpheme input to the device, the first morpheme input normally triggering a first default action by the device;
asynchronously manipulating the deformable piece to provide a second electro-physical morpheme input to the device, with the second morpheme input converting the normally triggered first default action to a second action by the device wherein the first default action causes a display of a list of items to scroll and the second action causes the scrolling to stop.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the deformable piece of material substantially surrounds the hand-held computing device.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first input is independent and is not part of the second input.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first default action is an ongoing action of the device other than an idle action.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first default action is continuously in effect until being converted to the second action.
7. The method of claim 2 , the first default action setting the device into an operation with a first status, the second action setting the device in the operation with a second status that is different from the first status.
8. The method of claim 1 , the first default action setting the device into an operation with a first status, the second action setting the device in the operation with a second status that is different from the first status.
9. The method of claim 2 , the first input being provided by a first type of deformation of the deformable piece, the second input being provided by a second type of deformation of the deformable piece, the second type of deformation being different from the first type of deformation.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second morpheme inputs to the device is based on detected light variations.
11. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second morpheme inputs to the device is based on detected thermal variations.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second morpheme inputs to the device is based on detected electromagnetic variations.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second morpheme inputs to the device is based on detected vibration variations.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second morpheme inputs to the device is based on detected acoustic variations.