Enhancing 3D file search with landscapes and personal histories: exploring the possibilities of TerraSearch+

Most users today have difficulty locating files due to memory, i.e., an ability to recreate the personal history of where they placed the document in the first place. Microsoft XP search provides the standard file search functions according to human semantic memory. However, depending exclusively on this human system for file acquisition can be problematic and very limiting for users who perform well in 3D space. The prototype system utilizes three-dimensional environments that are augmented with second-order information that depicts the relationships between the first-order properties by a visualization system. This system maintains user trace data in a way that enhances their ability to locate files according to place, time, and content. Early results of cognitive walkthroughs and questionnaires indicate users could more easily find files through search tools, but that unfamiliarity with the interface could be a barrier to acceptance.