Walkthrough: (1) the user inks “BumpTop” in his electronic notebook, and then decides he needs the PDF document for this paper  (2a) the user lassos the ink to create a breadcrumb; (2b) the user then opens the breadcrumb. (3) Opening it brings up the results and the user taps the PDF filter to narrow down the results set and locate the desired document. (4) the user drags the PDF icon into his notebook for future reference. The user then decides to grab a piece of content from this PDF document. (5) He employs the document’s icon to open the PDF and a circular tracking menu appears with some pen-operated controls for manipulating the underlying document. He touches the pen down in the outer ring of the tracking menu and circles with the pen to scroll through the document. (6) When he sees the desired content, he taps the Capture icon in the tracking menu. (7) This places a transparent gray overlay on the screen and he sweeps out a rectangular selection region. The user hits the Close icon in the tracking menu to close the PDF and return to InkSeine. (8a) The clipping appears in the user’s notes, and (8b) the user draws several ink annotations that refer to it.

 

For the most current information on InkSeine, please go to Ken Hinckley's InkSeine page

Using a notebook to sketch designs, reflect on a topic, or capture and extend creative ideas are examples of active note taking tasks. Optimal experience for such tasks demands concentration without interruption. Yet active note taking may also require reference documents or emails from team members. InkSeine is a Tablet PC application that supports active note taking by coupling a pen-and-ink interface with an in situ search facility that flows directly from a user’s ink notes. InkSeine integrates four key concepts: it leverages preexisting ink to initiate a search; it provides tight coupling of search queries with application content; it persists search queries as first class objects that can be commingled with ink notes; and it enables a quick and flexible workflow where the user may freely interleave inking, searching, and gathering content. InkSeine offers these capabilities in an interface that is tailored to the unique demands of pen input, and that maintains the primacy of inking above all other tasks.

 

Hinckley, K., Zhao, S., Sarin, R., Baudisch, P., and Cutrell, E. InkSeine: In Situ Search for Active Note Taking. In Proceedings of CHI 2007, San Jose, CA, Apr 28-May 18, 2007, pp. 251-260. PDF (1.2M) | PPT (5.4M) | WMV (51.4M)

In collaboration with Ken Hinckley (principal investigator) et al.