![\"ShapeWriter](\"http:\/\/www.almaden.ibm.com\/u\/zhai\/ShapeWriterPix\/iphoneShapeWriterCover.jpg\" "\\"ShapeWriter")
<\/a>ShapeWriter is an embodiment of an interaction technique for text entry that allows words to be generated by drawing shapes on a touch-screen keyboard rather than tapping on individual keys. It’s easy to learn how to write this way, and it improves text entry rates considerably. It’s also fun to use.<\/p>\nOne of the aspects I find intriguing about this style of writing is that the shapes you create, once you’ve practiced them, can be drawn independently of the location of the letters on the keyboard. In a way it transforms the alphabetic writing system of western languages into something that resembles a logographic<\/a> writing system.<\/p>\n The basic idea was developed, implemented, evaluated, advocated, and turned into a product by Shumin Zhai<\/a>. Here’s a brief run-down of the history of the project:<\/p>\n Seven years of hard work by Shumin and by many others translated an idea into a product line, in the interim producing a range of research results and IP accomplishments. This is not only a testament to the principled application of HCI methodology to the design of software systems, but also a tribute to Shumin’s vision and tenacity.<\/p>\n It is also an example of how research results can be transferred from the lab to the product line. It takes hard work, perseverance, a clear vision, and, above all, a willingness for researchers to engage in the productization process directly. In my experience, transferring technology from the research lab to an engineering company without also transferring motivated personnel makes it virtually impossible to influence product. Perhaps that’s the bigger lesson for HCI researchers who would like to make an impact on the real world.<\/p>\n Postscript: <\/strong>As of this writing, Nuance has suspended the downloading of the iPhone and Android applications. I hope this is a temporary measure that is a side-effect of the acquisition, and that the applications will soon be available again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The impact of academic computer-human interaction research on the real world has been debated repeatedly over the last few years. The criticism is that HCI research isn’t that relevant, and that really innovative interfaces (such as Apple’s iPhone) are designed by outsiders, without input from HCI researchers. My sense is that things are not so […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4098"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4098"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4100,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4098\/revisions\/4100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.fxpal.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n