Alphanumeric Display Research Articles

Human factors guidelines in computer graphics: a case study

This paper presents, in the form of a case study, guidelines on relevant human factors considerations for use in designing a computer graphics system. Although the guidelines presented here are not considered to be exhaustive, and were developed to apply to a specific system, many of the issues addressed may be of considerable general interest in such situations. Both guidelines extracted from the literature and authors' design observations are presented for each of six principal system components addressed. These components are: the graphics display (color CRT monitor); the man-computer dialogue used for interactive communication (menu selection dialogue); the graphics tablet; an alphanumeric support display (black-and-white CRT monitor); an alphanumeric keyboard for inputing data into the support CRT; and the workspace within which these components are located. This study points out areas requiring further research and experimentation towards the development of man-computer interface guidelines.

A method to break the cognitive barrier between a deaf child and a hearing parent.

A deaf child actively uses about 1000 concepts in common with the hearing world. The rest of his up to 10,000 concepts belong to sign language and cannot be accurately translated into written language. This makes it difficult for the deaf to understand a normal written text, especially its abstractions. We have developed a new communication system in order to break the barrier between the hearing and the deaf. In this system a deaf child speaks with a writing hand-piece terminal through an FM route to a small unlimited text-to-speech synthesizer carried by the parent. The parent answers similarly to a 48-grapheme alphanumerical display carried by the child on a rack in front of him. The parent's unit with a speech synthesizer weighs about 2 kg and its size is about 7 X 20 X 25 cm; the size of the child's unit is one half of that and it weighs, with the display, 2 kg. Even a 4-year-old child carries the apparatus easily; nevertheless a still lighter unit is under construction. The system takes the learning process to everyday situations and makes it possible for a deaf child to converse in the normal written and spoken language. Thus, his concept capacity in the spoken language can be increased.

A compact card guide and program for your HP-41C: A card guide documentation that fits in your calculator case and a program that allows Laplace transform solutions of differential equations

Generally, complex hand-held computer programs require fairly lengthy and detailed documentation, especially when used infrequently. This is particularly true for general-purpose programs. With new machines, such as the HP-41C, this problem can be alleviated by using alphanumeric display prompts and cues. However, memory consumption is high, and the display is too limited to present the overall or interdependent parts of the problem being solved. These limitations can be overcome with a card guide documentation format that is specifically designed to: 1. Provide simple, effective, and compact standalone documentation that can be carried in the calculator case. 2. Permit the design of programs compatible with the card guide that use minimum memory, and thus allows storing more programs. 3. Provide convenient prompting and cueing.

A hematology data-logging terminal.

Intended as a link between a central analysis facility and remote microscope analyzers at international sites, a data-logging terminal has been developed which exploits basic analyzer control and data acquisition capabilities. The terminal depends on the analyzer's ability to assimilate, interpret, and respond to external commands transferred through its standard communications interface. Within the limits of the analyzer's high-level control language, the data-logging terminal is able to direct microscope operation and data acquisition as well as to initiate algorithms. Internal instrument algorithms can then establish and maintain focus, acquire specified objects, direct various scene segmentation sequences, and execute feature extractions. The data-logging terminal can thus command the analyzer to find scenes of interest and extract data from them. User access to a limited instrument operating interface is provided through its keyboard and alphanumeric display. The terminal can also request and receive image, feature, or count data over the communications interface. Such data are recorded, together with identifiers entered through the keyboard, onto diskettes which may be transferred by mail or telecommunications for processing with the image analysis and pattern recognition techniques available at the central analysis facility. Anticipated applications include evaluation of sample-preparation techniques, correlation of image data with sampling conditions, training of special classifiers, and analysis of instrument performance.

Teaching the uptake and distribution of halothane. A computer simulation program.

A computer aided learning program for teaching the kinetics of uptake and distribution of the inhalational anaesthetic halothane is described. The program is based on a seven-compartment model which simulates the action of halothane on ventilation and on the cardiovascular system. The program is available to the student in four forms: one with no changes in circulation or respiration, one with the cardiovascular effects of halothane included, one with respiratory effects only, and one with both of these effects combined. The student can study the importance of the influence of halothane on respiration and blood circulation by comparing results from simulations on different models. The simulation is presented as graphs which are continuously displayed on an alphanumeric visual display terminal. Interaction with the program is possible at all times to change the simulation speed, the variables being graphed, the inspired halothane fraction, and the fresh gas flow.

Amorphous-silicon TFT array for LCD addressing

A 64×64 element matrix array of amorphous-silicon thin-film transistors has been fabricated on a glass substrate. Using a drive scheme to simulate a 500-line display, an output voltage of 8.5 V RMS is obtained. This large output voltage is sufficient for an alphanumeric liquid-crystal display using the dyed cholesteric-nematic phase-change effect. The driving voltages for the array are compatible with LOCMOS (18 V) peripheral circuitry.

Electro-optical limits of the electrically controlled birefringence effect in nematic liquid crystals

The main theoretical limitations — of response time, multiplexing rate and contrast — of the electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) effect are outlined. The performances of a pictorial TV screen and a colour graphic and alphanumeric display are reviewed and compared with the theoretical ECB expectations.

One key chording system for electronic keyboard instrument

A one key chording system for an electronic organ of the type in which single contact keyswitches for D.C. keying of tone signals are employed. The keyswitches of a first group are connected to a common bus to which is also connected a mode select circuit for selectively applying thereto a D.C. potential of either positive or negative polarity. In the disclosed embodiment, when a negative potential is applied to the common bus a signal from an actuated keyswitch in said first group operates one of a plurality of chord logic circuits to produce a plurality of auxiliary keying signals which operate tone signal keyers for tone signals corresponding to a musical chord. An alpha-numeric display disposed adjacent to the keyboard indicates the name of the chord being played by the one key chording system. When the mode select circuit is operated to apply a positive potential to the common bus, the chord logic circuits are rendered inoperative and the instrument is returned to normal operation with multiple key chording.

A Pocketable Liquid-Television Receiver

Various kinds of numeric or alphanumeric display devices have been studied, some of which are applied to display pictures. As far as picture display is concerned, a cathode ray tube is superior because of such excellent quality as brightness, contrast and response time. But a CRT has drawbacks of weight, size and power dissipation. A liquid-crystal picture display, on the other hand, has an advantage over a CRT in that it can make a TV receiver thin, small and light.

A microcomputer system for the control of behavioral experiments

A self-contained microcomputer control system (MCS) is described for controlling and recording events from behavioral experiments using a low-cost microcomputer, the Rockwell AIM 65, and the BASIC language. Features of the system include a printer, alphanumeric display, 4K RAM, 8K BASIC on read only memory (ROM), a cassette interface, a power supply, and a control interface, all contained in a compact enclosure. The control interface allows for 16 inputs and 16 outputs, and includes a real-time clock and versatile machine language subroutines for controlling and recording real-time events. These features make BASIC a suitable user language for this application. The use of this microcomputer control system for operant research in behavioral pharmacology is described.

Multidimensional scaling of individual differences for an individual person with a hand-held calculator

An extension to the INDSCAL method of individual differences scaling was developed. The method derives measures of deviation from a “standard” observer, who is defined in terms of the INDSCAL subject weights. These weights are calculated for one individual person at a time. The method is implemented in a small hand-held calculator. The calculator is used for data acquisition, and it interacts with the user in a conversational manner through an alpha-numeric display. The present implementation of the method scales 84 judgments of pair similarity among seven objects and derives subject weights on two dimensions. The method can be extended to sets of up to 16 objects and up to six dimensions. The method is a feasible, cost-effective approach to classification of individuals on complex perceptual attributes within a single 1-h session.

Digitiser/processor for extraction of clinical parameters from Doppler-shift waveforms.

Blood flow detected by Doppler-shift velocimeters may be displayed using frequency analysers such as Spectrascribe (Medishield Corporation, London). To interpret these waveforms and produce rapid reliable diagnosis a digitiser/processor has been constructed. It is based on an Intel 4040 microprocessor and a Summagraphics magnetostrictive digitiser. Software is described that provides for operation either remotely via an RS232 interface or from the front panel of the instrument. Routines are provided for measurements of the various parameters used in Doppler-shift diagnosis plus general purpose area, distance and angle programs. Prompts are provided by an alphanumeric display, which also shows the relevant answer. The resulting equipment provides a simple, rapid and economic means of performing hitherto cumbersome measurements to be made routinely on a clinical basis.

Calibration and data reduction in microprocessor based process chromatographs

A process gas chromatograph system is described which employs microprocessors in the analyser and data processor to sample and digitise the detector signal, and measure peak height or area by five different methods. Additionally, three methods of baseline correction and five methods for calibration and calculation of results are user programmable from a panel with alpha numeric display using an interactive conversational dialogue with the operator. Some considerations relating to noise filtering and non-zero baseline correction are discussed.

On-Orbit Operation of The Spacelab Instrument Pointing System (IPS)

The Spacelab Instrument Pointing Subsystem (IPS), presently under development, is designed to point large payloads, whose pointing and stability requirements cannot be satisfied by the Shuttle Orbiter itself.In contrast to its only comparable predecessor, the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) on Skylab, which was operated from a dedicated panel through a dedicated computer, IPS uses the data -acquisition, -processing and -distribution capability of the Spacelab Command and Data Management Subsystem (CDMS). In particular, the operator interface is established through the CDMS alphanumeric keyboard and CRT display-unit.The availibility of an alphanumeric display enables the system-designer to develop a more flexible and responsive operator interface which is not limited by a given number of pushbuttons and scales. IPS on-orbit control is exercised by calling up for each operational mode a display specifically formatted for that mode including all the appropriate commands.The IPS operational methods therefore provide to the experimenter on-board Spacelab a very flexible and responsive system equivalent to the most advanced ground-based observatories.

Low-cost comprehensive data system for cardiac patients.

Functional systems to collect, store and retrieve clinical, hemodynamic, and angiographic information are needed to serve clinical research and quality control in the cardiac laboratory. Computers are ideally suited for this application, but high investment and maintenance costs are a barrier for their wider use. A low-cost data processing and procedure reporting system was developed using a programmable calculator, a floppy disk drive, and a printer. Files have been started on 750 consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac catheterization and angiography. Each file contains a clinical profile (CP), angiographic interpretation (Al), and hemodynamic data. CP and Al are coded according to a data base definition appropriate for patient care (procedure report) and research analysis. Data input is simplified by the use of multiple choice forms and prompts appearing on the calculator alphanumeric display. One floppy disk may hold 400 patient files. Immediate access to stored information for cross reference, computations, and statistical work is possible in all patients, a patient category, or an individual case. Stored items may be retrieved in coded form for analysis or translated into sentences to generate a multiple-copy procedure report. Follow-up information may be subsequently added to the patient file. Operation requires minimal training and little expertise in computer technology.

Microprocessor makes alphanumeric display smart : William Otsuka. Electronics p. 137 (7 December 1978)

Microprocessor makes alphanumeric display smart : William Otsuka. Electronics p. 137 (7 December 1978)

Design of a Raster Display Processor for Office Applications

In recent years there has been a pronounced emphasis to develop alphanumeric display systems for document creation, filing, and text editing applications. This paper describes the design of a raster scan Display Processor which was specifically implemented to produce full page images ( 8½ in × 11 in or 11 in × 8½ in) which emulate typewriter output. A dual data path architecture is presented in which a Character Generator produces video images of text data, while a FAX Generator generates bit map video images corresponding to graphic forms used in the office. The design approach chosen provides degrees of functional richness that are not commonly present in current systems. Furthermore, the modular approach allows for a choice of whether or not to include forms overlay capability based on application requirements.

How i fought with hardware and software and succeeded

AbstractThis is the story of the development of a utility program to simplify the writing of programs using alphanumeric display terminals.The basic program is very simple, and most of the programming time was not spent on this, but in a cloak‐and‐dagger game with other hardware and software products involved, trying to induce or cheat these products into doing what was needed, and not perform various unwanted and disruptive ‘niceties’.

Moving pictures show simulation to user

One of the most difficult problems with a simulation program is to gain confidence in the accurateness and reliability of the model. If the program is to be used for important decisions, the decision-makers must feel sure that they can depend on the model. To do this, they have to understand what is happening in the program. One way of making the users of the simulation more sure about what is happening in the program is to show what is happening during a simulation as a "moving picture" on a terminal. This can easily be done on a simple standard alphanumeric display ter minal. Our experience is that the extra programming effort is small and that the gain in understanding of the model is high both for the programmer himself and for his client.

Design and implementation of a display oriented text editor

AbstractThis paper outlines the design and implementation of a text editor which is designed for use on an alphanumeric display terminal with cursor control. Text may be edited directly on the screen by deleting, overstriking or inserting characters. There also exist commands to manipulate and search sections of text. A major design consideration was that the editor should be easily usable by untrained casual users.