Abstract: A method for traversing a streaming video file includes receiving a representative streaming video file that includes less information than a higher-resolution streaming video file and spans the entire streaming video file. Based on navigation information associated with the representative streaming video file, a playback engine navigates to a different portion of the streaming video file. The navigation information may be based on input information received from a viewer of the streaming video file. One advantage of the disclosed method is that it enables fast and accurate navigation of a streaming video.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing tasks associated with a construction project. The technique includes transmitting to a worker, via a mobile computing device worn by the worker, a first instruction related to performing a first task included in a plurality of tasks associated with a construction project, and transmitting to a light-emitting device a command to provide a visual indicator to the worker that facilitates performing the first task, based on an input received from the mobile computing device, determining that the worker has completed the first task of the construction project, selecting, from a database that tracks eligibility of each of the plurality of tasks, a second task included in the plurality of tasks that the worker is eligible to perform, and transmitting to the worker, via the mobile computing device, a second instruction related to performing the second task.

Abstract: Information regarding application usage on an actor device may be provided through activity notifications and activity reports. An activity notification describing current application activity on an actor device is sent, via wireless connection, to an observer device which displays the activity notification. Activity notifications provide different granularity levels of information based on a received level selection or based on a distance (proximity) between the actor device and the observer device. An activity report representing the history of application usage on an actor device may be displayed on the actor device. For example, the activity report may be triggered to by displayed when the actor device is placed flat. The activity report provides a graphical representation of the application usage on the actor device for a predetermined time period of prior usage. The graphical representation may comprise a plurality of stripes, each stripe representing a particular application or application type.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention disclosed herein provides a system that includes a mirror apparatus with a first surface to which a half-silvered mirror film is applied, where the mirror apparatus transmits a transmitted image from a second surface to the first surface. The system further includes a servo-controlled dimmer that adjusts a level of ambient light associated with the mirror apparatus. The system further includes a motion sensing device that tracks positions of a plurality of points associated with an object; wherein the object is situated on the half-silvered mirror film side of the mirror apparatus. The system further includes a computing device including a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by a processor included in the computing device, cause the processor to control the servo-controlled dimmer to adjust the ambient light such that both the transmitted image and a reflected image is visible on the first surface.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a mentor application automatically obtains assistance with software applications. The mentor application generates a computer-generated help request associated with a first user of a software application. Based on the computer-generated help request and a set of user contexts associated with a set of users, the mentor application computes match scores. Each match score predicts how suitable a particular user is for servicing the computer-generated help request. Based on the match scores, the mentor application transmits at least one help request notification to at least one user included in the set of users to determine a second user to service the computer-generated help request. The mentor application then establishes a computer connection between the first user and the second user through which an interactive help session between the first user and the second user is held.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a knowledge capture application automatically captures knowledge associated with computer-based tasks. While a computer-based task is performed during a computer-based session, the knowledge capture application performs operation(s) on a user utterance to automatically generate a knowledge item. The knowledge capture application performs classification operation(s) on the knowledge item to generate a categorized knowledge item that associates the knowledge item with a first category. Subsequently, the knowledge capture application modifies a first element included in a graphical user interface to visually indicate an actual capture level associated with the first category. The knowledge capture application generates a knowledge dataset based on the first categorized knowledge item for storage or display.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention disclosed herein provides a system that includes a mirror apparatus with a first surface to which a half-silvered mirror film is applied, where the mirror apparatus transmits a transmitted image from a second surface to the first surface. The system further includes a servo-controlled dimmer that adjusts a level of ambient light associated with the mirror apparatus. The system further includes a motion sensing device that tracks positions of a plurality of points associated with an object; wherein the object is situated on the half-silvered mirror film side of the mirror apparatus. The system further includes a computing device including a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by a processor included in the computing device, cause the processor to control the servo-controlled dimmer to adjust the ambient light such that both the transmitted image and a reflected image is visible on the first surface.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and a system for generating video clips for teaching how to apply a tools in various application programs for editing documents. The method includes identifying one or more characteristic features of a video clip. The method also includes providing the one or more characteristic features to a trained machine learning analysis module. The method further includes evaluating the characteristic features to generate a clip rating. The method also includes determining whether to discard the video clip based on the clip rating.

Abstract: A command map GUI that illustrates command usage patterns of one or more entities. A server receives and stores command usage data from a plurality of users/clients, each user/client executing a software application having a set of commands. A current user/client displays, via a GUI, graphical representations of the command usage data received from the server. The server receives new command usage data from a user/client included in the one or more entities. In response, the server automatically updates command usage data for the one or more entities, pushes the updated command usage data to the current user/client, and causes the GUI to display graphical representations of the updated command usage data. Thus, the command usage data of the one or more entities is automatically updated and displayed in the GUI in real-time or near real-time as new commands are continually invoked by users in the one or more entities.

Abstract: A system and technique for capturing a workflow history and video of an electronic document are disclosed. Events generated by an application while modifying an electronic document are stored on a web server as metadata. In addition, a captured digital image or frames of captured digital video that reflect the state of the document at the time the event was generated are also stored on the web server. The metadata is associated with one or more portions of the document and with the captured digital image or frames of captured digital video.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein include a method for altering a first annotation associated with a media file. This method may generally include the technique for receiving the media file wherein the media file contains the first annotation which is associated with a first playback speed of the media file. A second playback speed is received for the media file. A second annotation is generated based on the second playback speed of the media file based on the first annotation associated with the first playback speed of the media file. The second annotation is associated with the second playback speed of the media file and, at the second playback speed, the media file concurrently plays the second annotation.

Abstract: A visualization engine is configured to generate a network visualization that represents the evolution of a network over time. The visualization engine generates the network visualization based on a network dataset that describes various nodes within the network, and links between those nodes, over a sequence of time intervals. Initially, the visualization engine generates a stable simulated network based on initial network data, and then subsequently animates changes to that simulated network that derive from differences between the initial network data and subsequent network data. The visualization engine visually indicates changes to different nodes in the network via color changes, size changes, and other changes to the appearance of nodes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a banded slider application obtains values from users via a banded slider. In operation, the banded slider application generates a banded slider that includes multiple sections. Notably, the interior of a section included in the banded slider is visually distinguishable from an interior of another section that is adjacent to the section. Subsequently, the banded slider application performs operation(s) to display the banded slider and, in response, receives a user selection of a location along the banded slider. The banded slider application then computes a specified value based on the location. Advantageously, empirical evidence shows that the banded slider enables precise and/or repeatable specification of values without inducing bias associated with an inherent propensity for users to select locations that are at or near the decorations (e.g., tick marks) along conventional sliders.

Abstract: A computing device is configured to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows an end-user to search for particular document or documents within a large collection of documents. The GUI provides a view of the overall document collection and affords the end-user the ability to reduce the number of visual document thumbnails by means of keyword search. When the end-user identifies a candidate among the reduced number of thumbnails, the end-user may select the page view of the candidate document and conduct further review. If the selected candidate is not the target document, the end-user may select adjacent documents to seamlessly transition between reading and searching. An advantage to this approach is that the visual qualities of the documents, such as images, graphical layout, and color, among others, may be incorporated into the search process. Searching for a particular target document is, thus, expedited.

Abstract: A command map GUI that illustrates command usage patterns of a first entity and/or a comparison between the first entity and a second entity. A server receives and stores command usage data from a plurality of clients, each client executing a software application that enables a set of commands. A client displays the GUI based on command usage data received from the server. The GUI displays a circle chart comprising a plurality of segments representing various command categories, each segment including a wedge that represents the amount of usage of the corresponding command category. The GUI also displays a plurality of data points, each data point representing a command, wherein the distance from the center of the circle chart represents the amount of usage of the corresponding command. The GUI may display a certification and/or an unused command recommended for a user based on command usage patterns of the user.

Abstract: A command map GUI that illustrates command usage patterns of a first entity and/or a comparison between the first entity and a second entity. A server receives and stores command usage data from a plurality of clients, each client executing a software application that enables a set of commands. A client displays the GUI based on command usage data received from the server. The GUI displays a circle chart comprising a plurality of segments representing various command categories, each segment including a wedge that represents the amount of usage of the corresponding command category. The GUI also displays a plurality of data points, each data point representing a command, wherein the distance from the center of the circle chart represents the amount of usage of the corresponding command. The GUI may display a certification and/or an unused command recommended for a user based on command usage patterns of the user.

Abstract: An opacity engine for automatically and dynamically setting an opacity level for a scatterplot based on a predetermined value for a mean opacity level of utilized pixels (MOUP) in the scatterplot. The opacity engine may automatically set the opacity level for the scatterplot to produce the predetermined MOUP value in the scatterplot. A utilized pixel in the scatterplot comprises a pixel displaying at least one data point representing data. The MOUP value in the scatterplot may be equal to the sum of the final opacity levels of all utilized pixels in the chart, divided by the number of utilized pixels in the chart. The predetermined MOUP value may be between 35%-45%, such as 40%. The opacity engine may adjust the determined opacity level for charts having relatively low over-plotting factors.

Abstract: An automated robot design pipeline facilitates the overall process of designing robots that perform various desired behaviors. The disclosed pipeline includes four stages. In the first stage, a generative engine samples a design space to generate a large number of robot designs. In the second stage, a metric engine generates behavioral metrics indicating a degree to which each robot design performs the desired behaviors. In the third stage, a mapping engine generates a behavior predictor that can predict the behavioral metrics for any given robot design. In the fourth stage, a design engine generates a graphical user interface (GUI) that guides the user in performing behavior-driven design of a robot. One advantage of the disclosed approach is that the user need not have specialized skills in either graphic design or programming to generate designs for robots that perform specific behaviors or express various emotions.

Abstract: An automated robot design pipeline facilitates the overall process of designing robots that perform various desired behaviors. The disclosed pipeline includes four stages. In the first stage, a generative engine samples a design space to generate a large number of robot designs. In the second stage, a metric engine generates behavioral metrics indicating a degree to which each robot design performs the desired behaviors. In the third stage, a mapping engine generates a behavior predictor that can predict the behavioral metrics for any given robot design. In the fourth stage, a design engine generates a graphical user interface (GUI) that guides the user in performing behavior-driven design of a robot. One advantage of the disclosed approach is that the user need not have specialized skills in either graphic design or programming to generate designs for robots that perform specific behaviors or express various emotions.

Abstract: An automated robot design pipeline facilitates the overall process of designing robots that perform various desired behaviors. The disclosed pipeline includes four stages. In the first stage, a generative engine samples a design space to generate a large number of robot designs. In the second stage, a metric engine generates behavioral metrics indicating a degree to which each robot design performs the desired behaviors. In the third stage, a mapping engine generates a behavior predictor that can predict the behavioral metrics for any given robot design. In the fourth stage, a design engine generates a graphical user interface (GUI) that guides the user in performing behavior-driven design of a robot. One advantage of the disclosed approach is that the user need not have specialized skills in either graphic design or programming to generate designs for robots that perform specific behaviors or express various emotions.