Abstract: Tools and techniques for non-linguistic interaction with computer systems via surface stimulation are provided. These tools may receive indications of stimulation levels calculated for cells defined by a non-linguistic user interface. The cells may be associated with respective physical regions of a hardware substrate. The stimulation levels may be calculated based on non-linguistic actions directed by users to the hardware substrate. Visible characteristics of the non-linguistic user interface may be updated in response to the calculated stimulation levels.

Abstract: Tools and techniques for pressure-sensitive context menus are provided. These tools receive indications of physical user activities directed to computing systems, and compute pressure parameters associated with the user activities. In turn, the tools may determine display characteristics of context menus that are presented in response to the user activity, based on the computed pressure parameters. The tools may also present the context menus on the computing systems.

Abstract: Tools and techniques for non-linguistic interaction with computer systems via surface stimulation are provided. These tools may receive indications of stimulation levels calculated for cells defined by a non-linguistic user interface. The cells may be associated with respective physical regions of a hardware substrate. The stimulation levels may be calculated based on non-linguistic actions directed by users to the hardware substrate. Visible characteristics of the non-linguistic user interface may be updated in response to the calculated stimulation levels.

Abstract: An ancillary signal indicator notifies the reception of a signal that is associated with a user. The ancillary signal indicator includes an imprint actuator configured to instigate a signal imprint mode. A receiver is configured to receive an imprint signal when in the signal imprint mode and a memory is configured to store an imprint signal. The ancillary signal indicator also includes a signal notifier configured to actuate when a received signal corresponds to the imprint signal.

Abstract: A system and method of using object sensitivity values and a cursor to select a graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects and sub-objects appearing on a display device. The plurality of graphical objects includes at least one container. A sensitivity value from the set of Normal, Opaque, Transparent, Invisible, Customized, and Automatic is designated for each of the objects. At authoring time, a sensitivity value from this set can be easily assigned to each of the objects, thus affecting the way hit testing proceeds over the objects. More particularly, an object is selected from the plurality of objects based on the position of the cursor, object position, object containment, and the sensitivity value of at least one of the objects.