Tweek: A framework for cross-display graphical user interfaces

Abstract

Developers of virtual environments (VEs) face an often-difficult problem: users must have some way to interact with the virtual world. The VE application designers must determine how to map available inputs to actions within the virtual world. However, manipulating large amounts of data, entering alphanumeric information, or performing abstract operations may not map well to current VE interaction methods, which are primarily spatial. Furthermore, many VE applications are derived from mature desktop applications that typically have a very rich user interface (UI). This paper presents Tweek, a reusable, extensible framework for UI construction that allows use of the same UI on a desktop system, on a hand-held computer, or in an immersive 3D space. Designers can maintain interaction consistency across conventional visualization settings such as desktop systems and multi-screen immersive systems. This paper covers in detail the design of Tweek and its use as an input device for virtual environments. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.