The size and resolution of computer displays has increased dramatically, allowing more information than ever to be rendered on-screen. However, items can now be so small or screens so cluttered that users need to lean forward to properly examine them. This behavior may be detrimental to a user's posture and eyesight. Our Lean and Zoom system detects a user's proximity to the display using a camera and magnifies the on-screen content proportionally. This alleviates dramatic leaning and makes items more readable. Results from a user study indicate people find the technique natural and intuitive. Most participants found onscreen content easier to read, and believed the technique would improve both their performance and comfort. Author Keywords Lean, magnification, semantic zooming, user interfaces, assistive technology, proximity aware, posture, sensors. ACM Classification Keywords H5.2. [User Interfaces]: Interaction Styles, Graphical User Interfaces.
Chris Harrison, Anind K. Dey