Systems and methods for collaborative synchronous image selection
Systems and methods for real-time collaborative computing and collective intelligence are disclosed. A collaborative application runs on a collaborative server connected to a plurality of computing devices. Collaborative sessions are run wherein a group of independent users, networked over the internet, collaboratively answer questions in real-time, thereby harnessing their collective intelligence. Methods for collaborative selection of a target point on an image displayed on the computing devices. Methods for collaborative zooming and panning of an image displayed on the computing devices.
1. A collaborative targeting system for enabling a plurality of users to jointly select a coordinate location within a graphical image during a real-time session, the system comprising:
a collaboration server configured to run a collaboration server application and to exchange real-time data with each of a plurality of networked computing devices, each of the computing devices configured to:
display a graphical image;
display a collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, from the collaboration server, a pointer location;
update, repeatedly in real-time, the displayed location of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image in response to the received pointer location, the displayed location being substantially synchronized among the plurality of computing devices;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, user input through a user interface, the user input indicating at least in part, a desired direction of motion of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer; and
send, repeatedly in real-time, a representation of the desired direction of motion to the central collaboration server;
wherein the collaboration server application is configured to:
receive, repeatedly in real-time, the representation of the user input from more than one of the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, a group intent vector from the user input received from the more than one of the plurality of computing devices, the group intent vector indicating a collaboratively desired speed and direction of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, the updated pointer location for the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer based at least in part upon the group intent vector;
send, repeatedly in real-time, the pointer location to the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly, whether a speed of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer has fallen below a threshold value;
identify a target location upon the graphical image based at least in part upon the determination that the speed of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer has fallen below the threshold value; and
send an indication of the target location to at least one of the computing devices.
2. A collaborative targeting system for enabling a plurality of users to jointly select a coordinate location within a graphical image during a real-time session, the system comprising:
a collaboration server configured to run a collaboration server application and to exchange real-time data with each of a plurality of networked computing devices, each of the computing devices configured to:
display a graphical image;
display a collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, from the collaboration server, a pointer location;
update, repeatedly in real-time, the displayed location of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image in response to the received pointer location, the displayed location being substantially synchronized among the plurality of computing devices;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, user input through a user interface, the user input indicating at least in part, a desired direction of motion of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer; and
send, repeatedly in real-time, a representation of the desired direction of motion to the central collaboration server;
wherein the collaboration server application is configured to:
receive, repeatedly in real-time, the representation of the user input and from more than one of the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, a group intent vector from the user input received from the more than one of the plurality of computing devices, the group intent vector indicating a collaboratively desired speed and direction of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, the updated pointer location for the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer based at least in part upon the group intent vector;
send, repeatedly in real-time, the pointer location to the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly, whether a magnitude of the group intent vector has fallen below a threshold value;
identify a target location upon the graphical image based at least in part upon the determination that the magnitude of the group intent vector has fallen below the threshold value for more than a threshold amount of time; and
send an indication of the target location to at least one of the computing devices.