History of Pen and Gesture Computing:
Annotated Bibliography in On-line Character Recognition,
Pen Computing, Gesture User Interfaces and Tablet and Touch Computers

Copyright © 20260906 20:00:54 EDT

This posting is an annotated bibliography focused broadly on touchscreen and gesture user interfaces, on-line character recognition (a.k.a. dynamic character recognition, a.k.a. pen and touch computing), both hardware and software. It has been a continuing work-in-progress since the 1980s. It includes references on related technical topics I have encountered in my career: for example PDAs/highly-portable computing, cryptographic communications, signature verification, biometric authentication, and digital rights management (DRM). I am posting it as a service to those with interest in the field.

It may also be of special interest to anyone investigating any of the areas of digitizer tablets, touchscreens, character recognition, touch/gesture user interfaces, multi-touch computing, passive and active tactile feedback, touch and proximity sensors, augmented reality, haptics, context-dependent intrepretation of user input, and applications including the same. It covers the time period from approximately 1887 / 1891 (first electronic tablets with "touch" input and a display), through 1914 (first electronic gesture/handwriting-recognition input and user-interface system), to the first handwriting-recognition tablet device connected to a modern electronic computer in 1957 (the "Stylator") and the more famous Rand Tablet (1961), to the present day.

As with any subject, the focus has modulated over the decades, and this bibliography follows these topics both forward in time, and historically back in time. Tablets and touchscreens have evolved into a variety of pointing devices, into PDAs and smart-phones, locating and gesturing sensors with three-dimensional input with six degrees of freedom, and more.

For example, there are no real lines between touch sensing for robotics, touch and contact sensing for user human input, fingerprint sensors, and touch and proximity sensing in general.

Likewise, there are no real lines between haptics for touchscreens, haptics for instrumentation, and biometric feedback. Earlier work on handwriting recognition, with handwritten symbols sometimes used for command input as "gestures", has evolved to be part of a much broader range of gestures, including in-air and 3D gestures.

Command user interfaces have merged with direct manipulation, and then with graphical user interfaces and virtual reality. Authenticating handwritten signatures has evolved to additional forms of dynamic biometrics. Haptic feedback has evolved from "simple" force-feedback to encompass tactile stimulation using electrovibration and sonic shock waves, and perceptual effects of visual and audio signaling. Virtual reality systems seem to have waxed and waned, and waxed again.

It is, indeed, a rich and complicated field, in all its aspects.

Jean Renard Ward For additional information on Rueters-Ward Services,
including my CV for consulting or as an expert witness:
URL:   http://www.ruetersward.com.)
e-mail: jrward@alum.mit.edu
Google Voice: 617-600-4095

References from the approximate years 1987 to 1988.

biblio86 (Prev page)   (Prev page) Main Page Main Page Main Page (Next page)   (Next page) biblio90
biblio86 (Prev page)  (Prev page) Main Page Main Page Main Page (Next page)  (Next page) biblio90
Mirrors of this page can be found at:

"When playing Russian roulette,             
 the fact that the first shot got off safely
 is little comfort for the next."           
    -- Richard Feynman,                     
    commenting on how the design defects    
    of the Space Shuttle were known from    
    multiple near-disasters long before     
    the Challenger launch disaster, but     
    were dismissed by program managers.     
Das Leben ist nichts für Feiglinge.
zoom gesture, witness, window managers, web user interfaces, web design, vitae, visually-impaired, visually impaired, visual programming, virtual keyboard, vibrotactile, user, user interfaces, user interface, user interface technology, user interface software, user interface patents, user interface design, typing prediction, trojan, trial, transparent film, transparent conductor, touchstrip, touchscreen, touchscreen graphics, touchscreen gestures, touchpad, touch-strip, touch-sensitive screen, touch-screen, touch-pad, touch, touch tracking, touch strip, touch sensors, touch sensor, touch screens, touch screen, touch screen input, touch screen devices, touch pad, touch input, touch screen devices, touch input device, touch gestures, touch detection, text entry, testimony, tactile sensor, tactile feedback, tablets, tabletop computing, tablet, tablet hardware, tablet controllers, tablet controller, table-top computing, symmetric-key cryptography, stylus, styli, stroke gestures, sourcecode, sourcecode analysis, sourcecode review, source-code, source-code analysis, source-code review, source code, source code analysis, source code review, smartphone, smartphone user interfaces, smartphone user interface, slide-to-unlock, single-finger gesture, signatures, signature verification, sensors, self capacitive, self capacitance, security, scrolling, scroll gesture, screenreader, screen-reader, screen-door transparency, screen reader, screen door transparency, screen display, rootkits, rootkit, root-kit, rights, resistive, public-key encryption, public key encryption, proximity, proximity sensors, proximity sensor, projected capacitive, projected capacitance, programming, programming environments, power management, post-WIMP user interfaces, position sensor, position-sensing interactive display terminal, position sensor, pointing devices, pointing device, pinch-to-zoom, phone user interfaces, pen, pen interfaces, pen gestures, patents, patent, patent litigation, palm rejection, one-finger gesture, on-screen keyboard, network security, mutual capacitive, mutual capacitance, multitouch, multi-touch, multiple touch, mouse, momentum scrolling, mobile user interfaces, mobile keyboard, mobile devices, mobile device input, mobile computing, mobile computing mobile device input, micropattern, malware, malware detection, litigation, litigation support, lightpen, light pen, kinetic scrolling, international patent litigation experience, interface, interactive surfaces, interaction techniques, inter-partes review, intellectual property, input techniques, input devices, indium tin oxide, inadvertent touch, iPhone, iPad, human-computer interaction, hashing, haptics, haptic, haptic feedback, handwriting recognition, handheld, handheld mobile device, handheld device, hand-held, hand gestures, graphics, graphical user interfaces, gestures, gesture recognition, force feedback, for, firmware, fingerprint scanner, finger gestures, feedback, expert, expert witness, expert witness cv, expert witness curriculum vitae, expert report, encryption, electrovibration, electronic, electronic signature, electronic pen, electronic document, electronic display instrument, electro-vibration, digital, digital signatures, digital signature, digital rights, digital rights management, digital-rights management, digital encryption, digital certificate, detection, deposition, decryption, data structures, data entry, data encryption, data authentication, cv, curriculum, curriculum vitae, cryptographic protocol, cryptographic mask, cryptanalysis, copy-protection, copy protection, controllers, content security, content management, contact sensor, consultant, consultant cv, consultant curriculum vitae, conductive film, computer, computer security, computer pointing device, computer mouse, computer mice, computer input device, computer graphics, computer access, composite video, color mapping, color maping, coding, claims construction, claims chart, claims analysis, character recognition, certificate, capacitive sensor, capacitance, blind, biometrics, biometric authentication, authentication, asymmetric-key cryptography, asymmetric key cryptography, assistive technologies, analysis, alpha blending, acoustic touchscreen, accessibility, accessibility technology, accessibility computing, Windows, Windows for Pen Computing, Ward, WIMP, USPTO, UI, UI toolkits, U.S.P.T.O., Touchscreen Computing, Technologies, Tablet PC, Tablet Computing, Samsung, Renard, RSA, Python, Perl, Pencept, PenPoint, Pen-Point, Pen, Pen Computing, Patent Office, PTAB, PKI, PHP, Orange Book, Nokia, Networks, Networking, Motorola, Microsoft, Microsoft Surface, Markman, Markman hearing, machine learning, MULTICS, M.I.T., Lucent, Lucent Technologies, Lenovo, Jean, Jean Renard Ward, Jean Renard Ward cv, Jean Renard Ward curriculum vitae, Java, ITO, Inter Partes Review, IPR, IDE, I.P.R., HWX, HTML, HCI, Google, GUIs, GUI, GO, GO Corporation, Ericsson, DRM, D.R.M., ContentGuard Corporation, Content Guard, Computing, C.V., CV, Blue Spike, Android, Android user interfaces, Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, ATGT,