PRESENTED BY,

NEETHU S NAIR
S7 CSE
ROLL NO:36
GUIDE
ANITA MARIAM VARGHESE
 Scratch Input, a computer input technique
developed by researchers at the Human-
Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie
Mellon University, by CHRIS HARRISON.
 uses the sound produced when a fingernail

is dragged over the surface of any textured

material such as wood, fabric or wall paint.
 The technology was demonstrated at the

Siggraph graphics conference this year.

 A fingernail on a surface produces a
frequency between 6000 Hz and 13,000 Hz.

 A modifyied stethoscope is used for sensing

the sound produced when scratching

 This sensor must cost less than 1 dollar

 The same sensor can be used for walls,
doors,clothes, desks, countertops, cabinets,
and many other surfaces
 Scratch Input could also be usedto augment

whiteboards and blackboards, enabling

markers and chalk to not only write, but also
issue commands.
The sound of a fingernail raking across a
table or a board may be enough to drive most
people crazy.

 But get past that annoyance and it could

become a way to answer your phone, silence
a call or turn up the volume
• Phone is ringing!!! Silence the ring by simply
writing a gesture anywhere on the table’s
surface… or, to take the call, make a gesture
that answers using the speakerphone.
 The benefits of moving computing and
communication into aspects of life that
transcend the work environment are
significant as exemplified by today’s powerful
mobile computing devices that we carry.
 This pushes us into using tiny displays,

buttons, keyboards, and other input

methods. Scratch Input allows small devices
to utilize existing, large, passive surfaces
such as desks and walls as an input device by
recognizing the distinct sound of “scratching”
gestures.
•An acoustic‐based input system, Scratch

Input relies on the unique sounds produced

when a fingernail is dragged over a surface to
control appliances and devices.
 ‘Middle of the night, need to get up, but it is
very dark. Just tap and scratch the wall to
turn on and adjust the lighting level to see
your way,
 Incorporated into mobile devices, such as
cell phones, and laptops allows Scratch Input
to work on whatever surface these devices are
resting.

 Walls are a great surface for input as the

signal maintains its strength around corners
and door openings.
‘Your cell phone starts ringing in your pocket
during an important meeting, issue a
command to silence it by simply writing a
gesture on or near the pocket.’\
 “If you have a cell phone in your pocket and
want to silence an incoming call, you don’t
have to pull it out of your pocket. You could
just drag your fingernail on your jeans.”
 A vocabulary of gestures has been created for
users to execute specific commands.
 Scratch Input gestural commands control on

and off, as well as, continuous actions like

scrolling, seeking, and volume adjustment.
 With as little as five minutes of training,

Scratch Input is 90% accurate on wide variety

of surfaces.
 ‘To set do not disturb on all devices, a single
gesture can turn the cell phone to silent, log
out of instant messenger, and close the email
client.
 Scratch Input transforms any surface into an

input device, is easy to use and accurate.

 Imagine scratching control commands on the
steering wheel or armrest for electronics,
environmental, cruise, lights, to hift, to
change display, etc.’
 it is so low cost

 It’s simple
 For instance, many letters that are written differently,

 system cannot determine the spatial location of the input

 sometimes it does not have enough information to react


I presented Scratch Input, an acoustic-based
finger input technique that can be used to
create large, inexpensive and mobile finger
input surfaces.
 This can allow mobile devices to appropriate

surfaces on which they rest for gestural input.

easy to use and accurate on a variety of
surfaces.