Upoint

Today's pointing devices

In recent years, computer-driven presentations in front of audiences have become standard for most business professionals. The tool most used during such events is the laser-pointer, being as intuitive to humans as pointing with a finger. Obvious disadvantage of laser-pointers is the lack of computer-interactivity: the device does not afford the user the capability to interact with the objects pointed at. Another limitation becomes apparent when the local audience is connected via NetMeeting etc. to a remote audience: in most cases this remote audience is not able to see the laser-spot, leaving them confused about items pointed at and described by the presenter. This is also the case if the presentation is displayed on more than one screen, as is often the case in larger presentation settings.

Through the years many attempts have been made to solve the above problems and arrive at the Holy Grail of pointing instruments: something that does not require any complicated setup procedures by the user, is as intuitive to use as the laser-pointer whilst allowing the user to interact with the objects pointed at.

The most recent version of Upoint utilizes technologies already applied in Virtual Reality Rooms. That is, its components allow the 3D orientation of a handheld remote to be measured. Earlier versions (prototypes 1 and 3, see History page) were capable of also sensing position, relative to an active electromagnetic source (see Prototype 3 Tracker) and were, as such, constrained to a certain range of operation. In the present version, the role of the positional tracker has been replaced by the combination of a distance-sensor and a technique called cursor grabbing, allowing the user to move around the room without relinquishing laser-like cursor control.

Measuring the orientation of the remote and its distance to the display is only one aspect of being able to compute where the user is pointing on the display. In addition, the Upoint system needs to know the size of the display and its orientation relative to the remote. These parameters can be established either automatically or by 2-click or 3-click user assistance, as explained in the pages discussing The Display.

Since the Upoint invention describes methods instead of specific technologies, the sensors used can be based on various technologies or combinations of different technologies. For example, orientation and/or position can be measured using active transmitting devices (prototypes 1,3), inertial tracking means (gyroscopes, accelerometers, etc) or, in particular, a combination of a compass and a tilt-meter (prototypes 2,4). The most recent version l (prototype 4) relies on sensing the remote's orientation with respect to the Earth's Gravity and Magnetic field, making this version both the cheapest and the most versatile. Also the distance-sensor employed by the most recent version can be based on ultrasonic or on laser technologies.