Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Credit card registration... how much a single screen can be frustrating!!
To login for the first time, it is required to register the card (Quite obvious!). So, I was registering my credit card with the bank. Here is how i ended up refilling my form 3 times.1) The only information provided for Login ID was that it should not be longer than 10 characters. i register with my name suyog12, fill the complete form and subbmit... hell the ID was already in use!!! . I register with another ID praying.. end up getting the same message. i finally chose a very absurd Login ID to avoid filling the same form again. Thought i was done, But nopes... there was more in waiting
2) Password : Minimum Length-6, Maximum Length-15
Now after entering my password and submitting the form, I received a registration failed screen stating that a alphanumeric passowrd is must. Why can't they just say it on the registration screen
3) Apart from this there is wrong placement of Submit Vs. Clear button.
4) More to it, i eneded up entering my credit card details 3 times without being in secured network. No icon of lock, no green bar.. nothing!!!
How can this reputed bank be so irresponsible!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
How touch screens work
With the pervasive use of touch screens, it becomes a matter of interst to know how touch screens work.
In my IIT days (just 2 years back) , I developed an interactive table top. We used block based interaction. The interaction was implemented using image recognition technique. This kind of technology is good for low cost and relatively huge screens.
Though image recognition can also be used for touch screens, it doesn't promise accuracy. So what happens in the background when we interact with iPhone or even normal laptop touchpad? I found an intersting article on my favourite site, how stuff works. I am recapitulating things here.
There are three basic systems that are used to recognize a person's touch:
Resistive, Capacitive and Surface acoustic wave.
The resistive system consists of a normal glass panel that is covered with a conductive and a resistive metallic layer. These two layers are held apart by spacers, and a scratch-resistant layer is placed on top of the whole setup. An electrical current runs through the two layers while the monitor is operational. When a user touches the screen, the two layers make contact in that exact spot. The change in the electrical field is noted and the coordinates of the point of contact are calculated by the computer. Once the coordinates are known, a special driver translates the touch into something that the operating system can understand, much as a computer mouse driver translates a mouse's movements into a click or a drag.
In the capacitive system, a layer that stores electrical charge is placed on the glass panel of the monitor. When a user touches the monitor with his or her finger, some of the charge is transferred to the user, so the charge on the capacitive layer decreases. This decrease is measured in circuits located at each corner of the monitor. The computer calculates, from the relative differences in charge at each corner, exactly where the touch event took place and then relays that information to the touch-screen driver software. One advantage that the capacitive system has over the resistive system is that it transmits almost 90 percent of the light from the monitor, whereas the resistive system only transmits about 75 percent. This gives the capacitive system a much clearer picture than the resistive system.
On the monitor of a surface acoustic wave system, two transducers (one receiving and one sending) are placed along the x and y axes of the monitor's glass plate. Also placed on the glass are reflectors -- they reflect an electrical signal sent from one transducer to the other. The receiving transducer is able to tell if the wave has been disturbed by a touch event at any instant, and can locate it accordingly. The wave setup has no metallic layers on the screen, allowing for 100-percent light throughput and perfect image clarity. This makes the surface acoustic wave system best for displaying detailed graphics (both other systems have significant degradation in clarity).
Ref : http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question716.htm
In my IIT days (just 2 years back) , I developed an interactive table top. We used block based interaction. The interaction was implemented using image recognition technique. This kind of technology is good for low cost and relatively huge screens.
Though image recognition can also be used for touch screens, it doesn't promise accuracy. So what happens in the background when we interact with iPhone or even normal laptop touchpad? I found an intersting article on my favourite site, how stuff works. I am recapitulating things here.
There are three basic systems that are used to recognize a person's touch:
Resistive, Capacitive and Surface acoustic wave.
The resistive system consists of a normal glass panel that is covered with a conductive and a resistive metallic layer. These two layers are held apart by spacers, and a scratch-resistant layer is placed on top of the whole setup. An electrical current runs through the two layers while the monitor is operational. When a user touches the screen, the two layers make contact in that exact spot. The change in the electrical field is noted and the coordinates of the point of contact are calculated by the computer. Once the coordinates are known, a special driver translates the touch into something that the operating system can understand, much as a computer mouse driver translates a mouse's movements into a click or a drag.
In the capacitive system, a layer that stores electrical charge is placed on the glass panel of the monitor. When a user touches the monitor with his or her finger, some of the charge is transferred to the user, so the charge on the capacitive layer decreases. This decrease is measured in circuits located at each corner of the monitor. The computer calculates, from the relative differences in charge at each corner, exactly where the touch event took place and then relays that information to the touch-screen driver software. One advantage that the capacitive system has over the resistive system is that it transmits almost 90 percent of the light from the monitor, whereas the resistive system only transmits about 75 percent. This gives the capacitive system a much clearer picture than the resistive system.
On the monitor of a surface acoustic wave system, two transducers (one receiving and one sending) are placed along the x and y axes of the monitor's glass plate. Also placed on the glass are reflectors -- they reflect an electrical signal sent from one transducer to the other. The receiving transducer is able to tell if the wave has been disturbed by a touch event at any instant, and can locate it accordingly. The wave setup has no metallic layers on the screen, allowing for 100-percent light throughput and perfect image clarity. This makes the surface acoustic wave system best for displaying detailed graphics (both other systems have significant degradation in clarity).
Ref : http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question716.htm
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Good time
September-October have been amazing in terms of social meetings and learnings.
Sep 11 : Attended a lecture on Sociatechnical Design and Engineering by Elizabeth F Churchill.
Sep 18-21 : USID 2009, My paper titled "Development of a tangible table top group interactive device to enhance the real time experience of enjoying music" was selected for podium presentation. (The selection % was much lower than the average 5/76 were selected for podium presentation)
My another paper titled "Extending usage of mobile phones to microfinance services in India" was selectyed for publication
Oct 7-8 : HWID 2009. I have been invited to chair one of the sessions. :) Apart from that I am also invited for the meeting about deciding future directions for Cult-Usab project. I am also presenting a paper on cultural usability in the same conference.
Sep 11 : Attended a lecture on Sociatechnical Design and Engineering by Elizabeth F Churchill.
Sep 18-21 : USID 2009, My paper titled "Development of a tangible table top group interactive device to enhance the real time experience of enjoying music" was selected for podium presentation. (The selection % was much lower than the average 5/76 were selected for podium presentation)
My another paper titled "Extending usage of mobile phones to microfinance services in India" was selectyed for publication
Oct 7-8 : HWID 2009. I have been invited to chair one of the sessions. :) Apart from that I am also invited for the meeting about deciding future directions for Cult-Usab project. I am also presenting a paper on cultural usability in the same conference.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Good quotes on Design
Some good quotes
- Ideas are result of invisible art. Designers practice art of making these ideas visible.
- Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality.
Monday, June 15, 2009
ultra wide angle lenses!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-to-use-ultra-wide-lenses.htm
Awesome description for using ultra wide angle lenses.I already own 18-105 VR and 50mm. I am currently saving money to buy an ultra wide angle lens. The lens looks great and can create dramatic effects in the photo.
My Nikon D90 also has inbuilt editing features like fisheye, but the results not even are closer to what you get using the actual lens. I have never used that feature of my camera. Not only that but my camera has another 10 features which i doubt i will ever use.
Awesome description for using ultra wide angle lenses.I already own 18-105 VR and 50mm. I am currently saving money to buy an ultra wide angle lens. The lens looks great and can create dramatic effects in the photo.
My Nikon D90 also has inbuilt editing features like fisheye, but the results not even are closer to what you get using the actual lens. I have never used that feature of my camera. Not only that but my camera has another 10 features which i doubt i will ever use.
Monday, June 8, 2009
photography albums
Nice examples of various events albums. I particularly liked the one shown above, for the excellent photograph on cover page and the angle at which this photo of the album has been taken.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Zoozoo, a good advertisement?
This Sunday i was talking to one of my friends in US.
------
Me : Hey, have u seen the new Vodafone ads?
She : No
Me : Ohh how did u miss Zoozoo
She : I have seen all the Zoozoo ads.
-------
Now am just puzzled.. has the character overpowered the brand?
Is zoozoo a good advertisement??
Is zoozoo a good advertisement??
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Right time to buy a DSLR
My search for DSLR started a year back.. on one of the ignominies parties, Someone asked me, how will you spend your first salary.. my immediate response : will buy a DSLR!!
Came to
Believe me, money was never an issue (problem ki to koi paisa hi nahi hai!!! :P) it is just the correct time to buy a SLR. So we come to a question which I asked 10 thousand times to my mentor (read Kshitiz), BWS member (read PeeVee) and myself :
WHAT IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BUY A DSLR??
Instead of giving the cliched, not-so-useful answers like "It depends person to person/ Dude, do u have money/ There is never a bad time to buy a good thing" I will write down some of the points that I am considering before buying DSLR
1) Am I into photography?
Be honest. DSLR is costly, It needs more patience.
2) Is my existing camera really becoming a constraint to shoot what I want?
I faced problems with low light situations, motion, ISO and macro mode.
My current camera is excellent for portraits, street photography. Is it really your camera or is it you?
3) Have I clicked at least 10 photos where people have asked me "which camera do u use?"
If people start asking that, it means with the shortcomings of your existing camera, you were able to get good composition. Make "camera" less important in the photos.
4) How frequently do I use my camera?
Though there is no particular answer, you can just ask if you use camera wherever u get a chances to use it??
I go out for shoot almost every weekend.
5) Do I avoid taking camera with me because it is heavy?
Believe me, if the answer is yes, you are not gonna take of DSLR with you either.. It is heavier, more sensitive, more costly, more bulky and with the lens attached, it is more delicate as well.
I will write another set of questions soon.
Hope i get my DSLR end of this week!!! am excited!!! Let me end my discussion with the short description of photo posted above. I shot it in "Potter town", Bangalore with my loving 5 mega pixel Kodak Z590.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Finding title for the blog is hard, i dont know what am i gonna scribble here
Somethings that I expect from my blog : Interaction design, information science, patenting and latest technology trends, photography, personal experiences, branding, e-marketing, academics vs. professional life, aspirations, learnings, love, working at a startup/ young company, "Research" insect that bites me many a times, bangalore and places around, eatries, food!!!
Lets see... Finally i doubt if i will even write anything! for the time being its just one item checked in the checklist.
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