Although I do not own a handheld computer, I agree with your keen observation on the difficulty in temporarily holding the stylus while pressing keys, as published in IEEE Spectrum (2002-02).
Thinking of an optimal computer input arrangement (both desktop and laptop), I have recently filed a patent application called "False Nail Computer Input Device". The invention provides a one-to-one correspondence between the position of the input device and the location of a cursor or a pixel on the screen, while allowing easy switching between using the input device and typing on a keyboard.
The "False Nail Computer Input Device" is for a touch-screen computer, especially Tablet PCs such as the upcoming Microsoft "Mira". Here is one of the figures to illustrate the invention.
Your comments would be greatly appreciated, especially any lead on having this invention licensed.
Thank you very much for your attention.
To whom it may concern
Ever since Homo sapiens started to write/draw a few millennia ago, there had been a one-to-one correspondence between the position of the input device (quill tip) and the location of the writing/drawing (papyrus).
Then, the mouse was invented by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center). It was picked up first by Apple and eventually by most other computer manufacturers. Unfortunately, these computer input devices (a mouse, a trackball, a trackpad, a trackpoint, a graphics tablet, etc.) do not provide a one-to-one correspondence between the position of the input device and the location of a cursor or a pixel on the screen. As a result, it is very difficult to draw a picture on the screen with a proper hand-eye co-ordination. Doesn't anybody else find it extremely awkward to sign his/her signature with a mouse in a drawing application? The light pen was light-years ahead of its time...
I believe that the ultimate human-computer interface is a touch screen. However, simply using a finger on a touch-screen computer (capacitive, infrared, resistive, or acoustic (Surface Acoustic Wave)) does not produce a high quality picture drawing due to the low resolution. The stylus used on mobile handheld computers do not allow easy switching between using the input device and typing on a keyboard.
A patent-pending Computer Input Device invention for a touch-screen computer (especially Tablet PCs such as the upcoming Microsoft "Mira") provides a one-to-one correspondence between the position of the input device and the location of a cursor or a pixel on the screen, while allowing easy switching between using the input device and typing on a keyboard. Licensing opportunities may still be available, so please inquire privately for more information.
Today's so-called "desktop computer" has evolved from a TV-watching metaphor. I believe that the next paradigm shift of the human-computer interface is a true "desktop". The "False Nail Computer Input Device" is compatible with The Humane Interface project, too.
After all, there is no "mouse" in Star Trek: The Next Generation which is set in the 24th century :-).
