Sentient map – a new paradigm for visual computing

Abstract A sentient map enables the user to view a collection of information items as a map so that gestures, or more specifically c-gestures, can be used for the interaction between the user and the information system. Different c-gestures are dynamically transformed into spatial/temporal queries, or σ-queries, for accessing the information items in multimedia databases and data sources. An application in e-learning called the Growing Book is described. The visual computing paradigm offered by the sentient map can be summarized as follows: “I come, I see, I gesture”.