Seth Hunter, Pattie Maes

Abstract

In this paper, we present “WordPlay”, a collaborative tabletop interface for generating, organizing, and exploring ideas. The concepts, ideas and arguments discussed in a meeting around the table are visualized and can be organized and manipulated in natural ways by the participants. Users add ideas to the table by speaking, manipulate the properties of words with hand gestures, and explore related concepts by tapping them. WordPlay combines Speech Recognition software, Natural Language Processing, a semantic knowledge network, and multi-touch capability to provide a public forum for brainstorming and support group decision making.