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Halo (visualization Technique)




For other uses, see Halo (disambiguation) .

In Information Visualization , the halo technique is a method for viewing large documents on small screens or Display Windows , which functions by pointing users to the locations objects out of the visible field.
Off-screen objects are surrounded by rings which reach into the border visible field (or window). From the position of the arc-shaped marker, combined with its curvature, users can infer the off-screen location of the object.

Halo has been used to display maps on Personal Digital Assistant s and Mobile Phone s.
The name of the technique was derived from the metaphor of a streetlamp shining a Halo onto the street.
The technique was invented by Patrick Baudisch in 2001, while at Xerox PARC ,

A similar concept is Arrow Location , where the direction of objects is represented by a directional marker shown in the border. This variant has been used in 3D Video Game s for several years. Arrow-based techniques convey the direction to off-screen locations, but require additional scale-dependent annotations in order to convey distance. Halo arcs, in contrast, point to a location, which implies direction and distance.


ADVANTAGES

  • Faster and more reliable comprehension than techniques based on arrows.

  • Halo is scale-independent, because arcs point to a location, rather than indicate a (scale-dependent) distance.

  • Application designers can use arc color, thickness and texture to convey additional parameters, such as type of off-screen location or desirability.



DISADVANTAGES

  • More prone to clutter than arrow-based techniques

  • Notion of distance decreases for objects located far away



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SEE ALSO