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Since Windows 7 announced its multi-touch
feature, it has created huge imaginable
possibilities for the applications. However,
besides the most familiar gestures of
enlarging / reducing picture image and
rotating pictures, it seems so far there are
no other real multiple touches applications
brought about. Way before the iPhone came
out with the multi-touch functions, PenMount
had already began pondering on how to
provide user with broader application scopes
and more flexibility operation based on
existing single-point touch.
After taking into considerations various
factors, and continuous trials and study,
PenMount has determined to go into the
Gesture development direction. And at this
point, we are fervently and intently
pursuing the development of the gesture
utilities; bearing in mind that similar to
the sign language or the police officer
directing traffic, each hand or body
movement or sign language should be made
clearly and easily understood for an
effective communication or information
delivery.
Although such movements or sign language, do
not conform naturally and completely to our
habits, they have to undergo learning and
recognition; nevertheless, we also know that
all knowledge, language, skills, equipments,
etc. must pass through a lot of study,
training, testing, and others to hone its
skills; this is also true for the current
popular multi-touch gestures, these need to
be learned, and memorized.
What kind of gestures can make users to
quickly understand and recognize? Should the
gestures be too complicated, they would be
difficult for users to remember and could
also be easily misinterpreted by the
computer system. And if too simplified, it
could turn into an inconvenient operation
for the user.
After going through careful considerations
and extensive analysis, PenMount has come
out with 15 gestures allowing system
developer to flexibly define each of these
15 gestures the way it want them executed
therefore allowing system application many
possibilities.
PenMount Gesture software application is the
mouse device simulation, and these are
provided in the PenMount 9000 series and
PenMount 6000 series, for both USB and RS232
interface, the operation systems supported
are the Microsoft Windows XP, Vista and
Windows 7. To benefit from these Gesture
features, one need not change hardware or
designs, the only thing needed is to upgrade
to the new software provided; one can then
avail of all the benefits of using the
gestures provided by PenMount and have them
defined as you wish; and they can be defined
separately. These gestures can also be set
or defined as hotkeys or as function keys to
invoke application programs.
PenMount Gesture provides 15 different
gestures, and divided then into 3 sets as
follows:
(A) uni-direction：Up、Down、Left、Right、Up
Right、Down Right、Up Left、Down Left a total
of 8 directions.
(B) bi-direction：Arrow Left, Arrow Right,
Arrow Up, Arrow Down
(C) Others：Triangle、Cross (alpha)、Circle,
three types of graphic gestures.
When gestures are detected, associated hot
keys, applications or other actions could be
called. Take the Microsoft Windows for
example, actions such as open default media
player, open disk de-fragment utility, show
desktop or switch user could be done by
using hot keys.
Moreover, since different applications use
different hot keys settings, we are going to
implement the important settings feature to
our gesture application. With this feature,
user can always use the appropriate settings
for different situations, and therefore
gestures won't be limited to specific
applications anymore.
Owing to the different speed rate of
different users, the gesture sensitivity
detection would inevitably be affected. This
being so, PenMount will include in the
official version a sensitivity adjustment
feature to meet the users’ habits.
Presently, PenMount has completed its
development of the Gesture software for the
Windows XP / Vista operating systems and
passed the WHQL certification process. On
July 31, we will announce the latest version
of the PenMount Windows Universal Driver and
will formally incorporate into it the
PenMount Gesture. PenMount will not stop at
this achievement but will continue to
develop the gestures features for other
Windows platforms and for the Linux systems
as well; so that we can provide the
traditional resistive touch screen a user
friendlier, more diversified and flexible
mode of operation.
PenMount’s hardware and software are
designed to meet the needs and demands of
the market; and if you have any specific
requirements of your own, we would be most
glad and ready to offer our full support and
assistance in your product development. For
more information on the PenMount hardware
and software products, you can download its
data sheet and drivers via
www.salt.com.tw or
www.penmount.com. If you have any
suggestions or comments, please email us at
salt@salt.com.tw or
penmount@seed.net.tw. |
