Bernstein(ID:7272/ber003)

Maths input language 

Mort Bernstein's graphical input maths language at SDC for the Q32 system
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References:
  • Bernstein, M. I "Computer recognition of on-line, hand-written characters" RM-3753-ARPA, The RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Calif 1964 view details
  • Bernstein, M. I.; and Williams, T. G. "A two-dimensional programming system" view details Abstract: The two-dimensional programming system dcscribed in this paper permits a computer user to handprint his input in standard mathematical notation on-line in real-time as easily as writing with pencil and paper. This system has been implemented at System Development Corporation, and operates under the SDC/ARPA Time-Sharing System on the AN/FS Q32V computer. The man-machine interface is a Graphic Tablet Display Console, consisting of a Grafacon 1010A and a projection CRT, which provides a common input-output surface. The principal software components of the system are an on-line realtime character recognizes, an on-line editor for twodimensional structures, and a contextual parser. The first use of this system has been as an interface for existing Time-Sharing System language processors, thus permitting the user to write computational statements using standard mathematical notation. Other, more extensive and diverse applications of the capabilities of this system are under investigation.

          in Morrell, A. J. H. (Ed.): Information Processing 68, Proceedings of IFIP Congress 1968, Edinburgh, UK, 5-10 August 1968 view details
  • Bernstein, M.I., and H.L. Howell, Hand-Printed Input for On-Line Systems, TM-3937/000/00, System Development Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif., 1968. view details
          in Morrell, A. J. H. (Ed.): Information Processing 68, Proceedings of IFIP Congress 1968, Edinburgh, UK, 5-10 August 1968 view details
  • Marlbrough, L. D. review of Bernstein and WIlliams 1968 view details Abstract: This paper makes three important points: 1) In a timesharing environment, and with the appropriate software support, a graphic input tablet can be an extremely useful and natural way of communicating with a computer (especially in this case, where the input tablet is coupled with a CRT underlay); 2) the problem of recognizing hand-written characters on-the-fly is easier to solve than that of recognizing statically printed characters. especially when a very large alphabet is involved; and 3) the System is adaptable to individual people with respect to peculiarities in the way they write.

    These points are supported with details of algorithms and data structures used in the work, all held together by highly readable commentary.

    The importance of the ideas in this paper will not, however, be fully realized until two economic factors are resolved: 1) the input tablet and CRT costs are reduced by several orders of magnitude, to the level of the cost of, say? three teletypes or less; and 2) the algorithms are realized on a more accessible computer, so that a more significant body of users can benefit from the work so far completed. These economic problems should not, of course, and undoubtedly will not, affect the further development of these ideas.

    All in all, a very satisfying and interesting paper.


          in ACM Computing Reviews 9(11) November 1968 view details
  • Bernstein, M.I., On-Line Interactive Parsing and Programming: Final Report for Phase III, TM-4582/000/O0, System Development Corporation, Calif., 1970. view details
          in ACM Computing Reviews 9(11) November 1968 view details
  • Smith, Lyle B. "A Survey of Interactive Graphical Systems for Mathematics" view details Extract: Bernstein
    Bernstein and Williams (1968)--describe a system, implemented at SDC, that accepts hand-printed mathematical notation as input;
    Bernstein (1964)--this report discusses a system for computer recognition of on-line, hand-written characters implemented at the RAND Corporation;

          in [ACM] ACM Computing Surveys 2(4) Dec1970 view details
  • Bernstein, Morton I. "Computer input/output of two-dimensional notations" pp102-103 view details Abstract: Notational devices are invented to aid the visualization and mental manipulation of abstract representations or models of real or imagined problems. The notations of mathematics are a prime example, but we must not forget those of logic, chemistry, or even, computer science. The problem at hand is to provide the users of these notations with a natural means of using them to communicate with a computer for the specific purpose of using that computer as an aid. Naturalness implies that input should be as free and easy as using pencil and paper or chalk and blackboard and output should be at least as readable as printed text, without most of the restrictions imposed by presently accepted typesetting standards.
          in [ACM] Proceedings of the Second Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation, March 23-25, 1971 Los Angeles (SYMSAM 71) view details
  • Wells, Mark B. "A review of two-dimensional programming languages" pp1-10 view details Extract: Berstein
    One such system [Bernstein and Williams, 1968 and 1969] was developed at Systems Development Corporation primarily to illustrate the feasibility of a pen oriented, two-dimensional language using a feedback mode as discussed in Section 3. The language involves expression display and symbol formation. Expression display includes sub- and superscripting and displayed division, although the feedback linearizes the displayed division. Symbols are drawn on a RAND tablet in a fairly natural manner. Each user has a personalized dictionary of characters, each character being defined by a sequence of strokes used in its construction. Thus the feedback, which informs the user that his characters are being recognized properly, is an integral part of program preparation.
          in Proceedings of the SIGPLAN symposium on Two-dimensional man-machine communication 1972 , Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States view details
  • Baum, Claude "The System Builders: the story of SDC" SDC 1981 view details Extract: Bernstein
    SDC's efforts to develop user-oriented methods for communicating with computers were expanded when Morton I. Bernstein, long-time Rand researcher, arrived to develop a prototype on-line graphic input/output system. Intended to enable humans to a write or draw directly on a graphic input tablet connected to the Q-32 computer, the system could recognize a large number of hand-printed characters, including uppercase and lowercase Roman and Greek letters, digits, and special marks and symbols.
          in Proceedings of the SIGPLAN symposium on Two-dimensional man-machine communication 1972 , Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States view details