Abstract: The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit.

Abstract: The invention enables a recorder to mark a recording as an event is being recorded. The invention can enable the specification of a mark so that the mark is associated with recording data obtained at a time other than the time at which the mark is specified (“non-contemporaneous marking”), i.e., prior to the time of the mark (“retrospective marking”) or after the time of the mark (“predictive marking”). The invention can also enable the use of multiple types of marks, each type of mark having a particular meaning. Additionally, the invention can enable marking capability to be implemented so that specification of a mark causes predetermined operation of the recording unit in accordance with the type of the mark (“augmented marking”).

Abstract: The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit.

Abstract: The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit. In particular, a “hybrid recording unit” having the above-described characteristics and advantages is constructed by adding to a portable video recorder (e.g., camcorder, portable dockable videotape recorder (VTR)) one or more devices (an “auxiliary device”) that provide additional functionality to the portable video recorder.

Abstract: A haptic interface device is disclosed. The haptic interface device comprises a haptic display and a resolution input device. The haptic display is configured to provide a haptic sensation to a user in response to an interaction with an environment by the user. The resolution input device is configured to receive from the user an input indicating a resolution desired by the user. The desired resolution defines a desired magnitude of change in the haptic sensation per unit change in the state of one or more aspects of the environment. The haptic display device is configured to use the input to control the haptic sensation provided by the haptic display.

Abstract: The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit.

Abstract: The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit. In particular, a recording unit according to the invention is particularly adapted to enable use of the recording unit to record an event during which the recorder engages in vigorous physical activity (e.g., an athletic activity, such as hiking, snow skiing or ping pong).

Abstract: A haptic interface device produces a haptic display in response to a user's interaction with an environment with which the haptic interface device is associated. The invention enables the resolution of the haptic display produced by the haptic interface device to be changed by the user. In particular, the invention can be implemented so that the haptic display resolution can be changed (readily) as the user interacts with the environment using the haptic interface device. Thus, the invention can enable a user to interact with a particular environment at different levels of detail (i.e., different resolutions) and, in particular, can enable the user to immediately change from interacting with the environment at one level of detail to interacting with the environment at a different level of detail.