Spatial History: Using Spatial Memory to Recall Information

• Main Author: Logan, Kevin Robert
• Other Authors: Computer Science
• Format: Others
• Published: Virginia Tech 2013
• Subjects: Spatail Memory; Large Displays; Windows
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19211

Some computer users employ large displays, 6 or more monitors, in order to view a large amount of data on a single desktop at one time.  This layout can be useful when the user is performing tasks in which they must view several different information sources at a time.  For example, a user may be writing a paper in which they may be simultaneously typing a document, reading another paper, and view a spreadsheet.  After the task is completed, the user may close all of the windows, however sometime later they may want to view a document associated with that task.  A possible scenario is for the user to know that they were viewing an important document in their top left monitor, but they cannot remember which document.  SpatialHistory looks to allow a user to recall which windows and documents were open at a certain time spatially.  The user may query a particular region of a large display and SpatialHistory will report the windows that were open in that area.  Through a user study, we conclude that i) some users organize their large displays in a spatial manner placing certain types of documents and windows in certain places and that ii) our tool has the potential to help users recall previously viewed windows based on a spatial memory of their desktop. === Master of Science