Tablet-based valuators that provide one, two, or three degrees of freedom

Abstract

The ability of the user of a graphics system to interactively control the motions of 3-D objects enhances his or her spatial perception and comprehension of those objects. This paper describes several logical devices based on the tablet, each particularly suited to control some type of interactive manipulation of 2-D and 3-D objects in real time. The "turntable" and the "stirrer" convert rotary motion of the tablet pen or puck into values for one-axis rotational control; the "rack", a two-axis device, is used for scaling control; for three-axis rotational control, the tablet-based three-axis trackball is particularly suited.