TY - GEN
T1 - Improving interaction with virtual globes through spatial thinking
T2 - 13th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces 2008, IUI'08
AU - Schöming, Johannes
AU - Raubal, Martin
AU - Marsh, Meredith
AU - Hecht, Brent
AU - Krüger, Antonio
AU - Rohs, Michael
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Virtual globes have progressed from little-known technology to broadly popular software in a mere few years. We investigated this phenomenon through a survey and discovered that, while virtual globes are en vogue, their use is restricted to a small set of tasks so simple that they do not involve any spatial thinking. Spatial thinking requires that users ask "what is where" and "why"; the most common virtual globe tasks only include the "what". Based on the results of this survey, we have developed a multi-touch virtual globe derived from an adapted virtual globe paradigm designed to widen the potential uses of the technology by helping its users to inquire about both the "what is where" and "why" of spatial distribution. We do not seek to provide users with full GIS (geographic information system) functionality, but rather we aim to facilitate the asking and answering of simple "why" questions about general topics that appeal to a wide virtual globe user base.
AB - Virtual globes have progressed from little-known technology to broadly popular software in a mere few years. We investigated this phenomenon through a survey and discovered that, while virtual globes are en vogue, their use is restricted to a small set of tasks so simple that they do not involve any spatial thinking. Spatial thinking requires that users ask "what is where" and "why"; the most common virtual globe tasks only include the "what". Based on the results of this survey, we have developed a multi-touch virtual globe derived from an adapted virtual globe paradigm designed to widen the potential uses of the technology by helping its users to inquire about both the "what is where" and "why" of spatial distribution. We do not seek to provide users with full GIS (geographic information system) functionality, but rather we aim to facilitate the asking and answering of simple "why" questions about general topics that appeal to a wide virtual globe user base.
KW - Artificial intelligence
KW - Multi-touch interaction
KW - Semantic relatedness
KW - Spatial thinking
KW - Virtual globes
KW - Wall-size interfaces
KW - Wikipedia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=57349099479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=57349099479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/1378773.1378790
DO - 10.1145/1378773.1378790
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:57349099479
SN - 9781595939876
T3 - International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, Proceedings IUI
SP - 129
EP - 138
BT - Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces 2008, IUI'08
Y2 - 13 January 2008 through 16 January 2008
ER -