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General Software Discussion / Re: Dasher
« Last post by mouser on February 13, 2006, 03:30 PM »that is extremely cool.
from web page:
from web page:
Dasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is a competitive text-entry system wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used - for example,
when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse;
when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker);
on a palmtop computer;
on a wearable computer.
The eyetracking version of Dasher allows an experienced user to write text as fast as normal handwriting - 29 words per minute; using a mouse, experienced users can write at 39 words per minute.
Dasher can be used to write efficiently in any language.
Dasher is fast and fun to learn. (If you don't believe us, see what users round the world say.)
Dasher is free software.
To make the interface efficient, we use the predictions of a language model to determine how much of the world is devoted to each piece of text. Probable pieces of text are given more space, so they are quick and easy to select. Improbable pieces of text (for example, text with spelling mistakes) are given less space, so they are harder to write. The language model learns all the time: if you use a novel word once, it is easier to write next time.
A big advantage of Dasher over other predictive text-entry interfaces that offer word-completions to the user is that it is mode-free: the user does not need to switch from a writing mode to an "accept-model-predictions" mode.
Another advantage is that it is easy to train the model on any writing style: simply load up an example file, then write away!
