ThumbSense is new interaction technique for the TouchPad and
software.
The touhpad is a widely used input device for notebook computers.
However, one of the drawbacks of the touchpad is that hands must be away from
the keyboard's home positions. This feature hinders smooth shift between the
text input and the pointing modes. ThumbSense solves this problem.
The idea is simple. ThumbSense uses keyboard keys as mouse
buttons. For example, "F" and "J" keys are used as the
mouse left button, and "D" and "K" keys are used as the
mouse right buttons. (Many other assignments are possible by customization).
Users can operate the touchpad from the home position.
Users don't have to change the mode manually; ThumbSense
automatically distinguishes the text input and the mouse mode by sensing the
finger (thumb) is contacting the touchpad. While the thumb touches the
touchpad, the F, J, D, K keys becomes mouse buttons, otherwise, they act as
normal keyboard keys.
This technique can be regarded as using the touchpad as a new
modifier key, other than Shift, Control, or Alt keys.
Currently, the software works on Windows(XP or 2000). Two major
touchpad devices, Synaptics and ALPS are supported (ThumbSense automatically
detects them).
§ download the pacakage,
and extract.
§ double click
"tsense.exe", and the small window appears. If "Synaptic
detected" or "ALPS detected" message appears, the touchpad
device is correctly recognized.
§ Pressing "Goto
Tasktray" moves the window to the tasktray.
§ Pressing
"EXIT" terminates the software
F,
J, SPACE |
Mouse
left button |
D,
K |
Mouse
right button |
S,
L |
Wheel |
R |
Window
Maximize |
E |
Change Window Order |
T |
Task
switch |
G |
Next
(used in IE) |
H |
Previous
(used in IE) |
W |
Window
close |
I |
start
IE |
O |
start
OutlookExpress |
M |
open
the My Document folder |
Key assignments are defined by the file "tsense.ini" in
the same folder where "tsense.exe" is located. You may edit the file
and press "Reload" button (or restart the "tsense.exe"
itself) to reload it. Currently only the documantation is the comments in the
ini file.
§ If you use tsense.exe
from a shortcut icon, make sure that the working directly of the shortcut is
the folder where the "tsense.ini" file is located.
§ If you encounter the
"PrintWindwo undefined" error message, please use tsensew2k.exe
instead. This is almost as same as tsense.exe, except for functions specific to
Windows XP, such as thumbnail task windows (like this).
§ When the Acrobat is the
topmost window, the touchpad's physical buttons (buttons located below the
touchpad) become page turning buttons. The motivation of the feature is to use
notebook PCs as e-book readers by turning them like this.
Copyright(C) 2002-2003 Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.,
Jun Rekimoto
This software is experimental. The authors do not take
any responsibilities for any results caused by using this release.
We welcome comments and suggesions, and bug reports. Please send a
mail to rekimoto@csl.sony.co.jp or
post to the BBS.