Graphics Tablet or a Digitized Tablet, as the Wikipedia suggests, is a computer input device used to control the graphics user interface in a similar way as the computer mouse does. Most types of graphics tablets consist of a flat surface that is able to capture and transmit signals provided by the stylus (a controller, in most cases a pen) when in contact with the surface of the tablet. Early versions of tablets were mainly used for the handwriting recognition, as the reflection of Marshall McLuhan’s predictions of a Paperless Society, allowing the transfer of a written text into the word processing program for editing it. (McLuhan, M., 1964) The modern versions offer a much higher precision, pressure, tilt recognition, and can be used for a variety of purposes that include, but not limited to the creation of computer graphics (2D and 3D).
A study of digital ink in lecture presentation conducted at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems reviews the usage of a tablet, allowing the presenter to write down annotations on the projected slides. (Anderson, R. J., Hoyer, C., Wolfman S. A., Anderson R., 2004) This study discussed the analogy between the Digitized Ink and physical gestures, and its use to increase the attention to particular parts of the slides. The survey proved that 55% of audience reported their attention increased to the lecture, when only 10% reported their attention decreased. Further use of the Digital Inking systems has its social effect and proves itself useful in terms of education. Raising attention to the important parts of the lecture and at the same time making examples with ease, rather than letting out huge amounts of information, allows easier understanding of this information.
This definitely has a positive effect on the means of presentation. The ability to visually communicate with the audience, makes about any lecture more interesting, thus allowing a better perception of the information being presented. Being a university student myself, I find this to be a very interesting way to make examples on the lecture material, because there is no better way to learn as from examples.
As a plausible interchange for Digital Ink and graphics tablets in general, I can only think of the Microsoft Surface. It is a new interactive device, which allows users directly operate with digital objects on the tabletop. Although it carries a slightly different idea, it resembles a big touch screen tablet, which turns out to be the same thing. As for the implausible interchange, I have thought of the Visual Scrubbing Technology from a science fiction movie called The Minority Report. The main character, wearing special gloves, controls a 3D projected interface (a hologram) and scrolls through the video records looking for clues. Visually projected holograms still stay in the science fiction world, but the potential of operating a 3D object that does not yet exist, simply but touching it, without having to use any input devices is quite fascinating.
References.
Anderson, R. J., Hoyer, C., Wolfman S. A., Anderson R. (2004.). Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. A study of digital ink in lecture presentation, 567 – 574. Retieved on February 10, 2009, from http://doi.acm.org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/985692.985764
Graphics Tablet, Wikipedia. (2009, January 31, 20:00.). Retrieved on February 08, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_tablet
McLuhan, M. (1964) Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.
Taylor & Francis, 1987
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