Reading #10 Graphical Input through machine recognition of sketchs

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Jianjie Zhang

Summary:

This paper introduces three experiments in computer processing of sketches and discusses the computer’s help in the phase of design rather than just in computer-aid evaluation.

The first experiment is HUNCH, a set of programs dealing with freehand drawings with some inference of user’s intent. HUNCH find corners by assuming speed decreases at corners. It “latched” endpoints that fall within a fixed radius of each other and turned overtraced lines into one.  HUNCH also uses some other inference, like turning 2D networks into 3D structures.

The second and third experiment use information about context to develop context-based programs and interact with users by allowing users to modify interpretation.

Discussion:

The corner finding method in this paper is similar with a seign’s method of using speed graph, but was introduced nearly 30 years ago. This paper discuss the way to involve compute into design process and suggest ways that computer interact with users.

Some great ideas in this paper certainly inspire many recently works in sketch recognition, even though details in this paper is not much.