Abstract: A computer-controlled video display presents alphanumeric or graphic data to a human user in a fashion selected to provide user control of the data transfer rate and to increase mental concentration, comprehension and creativity. A set of video display regions or windows are defined having selected positions and areas for presenting data obtained from one or more registers or buffers. Associated with each display window is a set of stored parameters controlling the display of data in the window. The control parameters include parameters designating the size and location of each window, foreground and background colors and display intensity or pulsation, and the source of the data to be displayed.

Abstract: A device for automatic translation of natural language words into corresponding visual images has an addressable video disc memory storing a large number of images, an image dictionary memory for storing the video disc addresses for sets of images for respective natural language words along with information controlling the selection and display of the respective images, and a computer for addressing the image diictionary memory and interpreting the selection and display information. The translation device is advantageously used in an audio-visual presentation system which also includes a speech synthesizer and a multiple display synchronized to the pronunciation of the speech synthesizer. Preferably, the selection of images is responsive to viewer preferences and the context of the translated words, and redundancy of image presentation is eliminated by random or indexed selection.