Paper Reading #2: Hands-On Math: A page-based multi-touch and pen desktop for technical work and problem solving

References:  Hands-On Math: A page-based multi-touch and pen desktop for technical work and problem solving by Robert Zeleznik, Andrew Bragdon, Ferdi Adeputra, Hsu-Sheng Ko.  This paper was presented in the UIST 2010 Proceedings of the 23 annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology.
Author Bios:  
Robert Zeleznik has a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Computer Science from Brown University.  He currently is a director of research at Brown.  Andrew Bragdon received his Bachelors and Masters at Brown University and worked two internships with Microsoft.  He is currently a PhD student at Brown. Ferdi Adeputra has been studying Applied Mathematics Computer Science at Brown University since 2007, and is currently employed with Goldman Sachs as an analyst.  Hsu-Sheng Ko is currently at Brown University as well.
Summary:
Hypothesis
The developers put forth that an electronic paper and writing utensil could be made as a more useful and efficient tool for notation.
Methods
Participants in the study were asked to complete several tasks to explore the functionality of the writing pad.  They were told to create and manipulate pages, perform a "back-of-the-envelope" calculation, as well as solve a more complex expression.  In addition, they were asked to explore the graphing capabilities by graphing an equation and manipulating the graph, as well as using the PalmPrint to change modes and draw a diagram in different colors.  Lastly, users were asked to try the web clipping and manipulating the contents of a page with TAP gestures and page folding.  Aside from these specific tasks, participants were encouraged to play with the system and ask for help when necessary.
Results:
While there was strong sentiment expressed that the system would be more useful if it were portable, the overall reviews were positive.  Users were able to effectively manipulate the paper and pen on a basic level, but required further instruction on how to access more advanced features.  There were mixed reviews on the gestures and hand strokes, but most participants were able to get the hang of it after a demonstration.  The participants were enthusiastic about the mathematical capabilities, but also noted that it would be better if it were developed even further.
Contents:
The system and trials focus on several key aspects of the design.  It discusses page management, which includes a panning bar to display a small panorama of the workspace and the ability to "fold" a page for more space.  It also discusses the gestures incorporated into the program, such as the under-the-rock menu that grows when dragging a term in a mathematical expression, the touch-activated pen gesture, and the palm-print motion that activates when an open hand is placed on the surface and commands are associated with each finger tip.
Discussion:
I find this whole idea very promising, and I hope that it can really take off in the near future.  I feel that the authors did achieve their goals with this system, although there is certainly a lot of room to grow even more.  I can see where it would have excellent application both in school and the workplace and I share the sentiments of the test participants in that I would like to see the mathematical capabilities expanded further.  Something like this could be invaluable in a learning environment to aid understanding and explanation, but could also be used on a daily basis in an office or other work environment with day-to-day calculations.