Systems and methods for using stencils for multitouch interactive exploration

A system, comprising:

• a stencil comprising a plurality of physical markers and a radio-frequency identifier, each physical marker comprising a raised portion, wherein the plurality of physical markers are arranged along an X-axis and a Y-axis, wherein physical markers of the plurality of physical markers in each row have a same shape and physical markers of the plurality of physical markers across each column have different shapes or a repeating pattern;
• and
• an electronic device comprising:
• a computer processor;
• a memory storing a computer program;
• and
• a touch-sensitive interface;
• wherein, when read and executed by the computer processor, the computer program causes the computer processor to:
• receive the radio-frequency identifier from the stencil,
• retrieve calibration data for the stencil from the radio-frequency identifier, wherein the calibration data comprises a location of each physical marker, wherein the computer program determines the location of each physical marker from an uploaded image of the stencil and compares it to the calibration data,
• graphically present a graphical representation of data on the touch-sensitive interface, wherein quadrant markers exists at a defined interval of a number of the plurality of physical markers for orientation of a locate marker or an element of interest, wherein the quadrant markers each have designated shapes, wherein the data is graphically presented based on the calibration data,
• adjust an axis scale of the X-axis or the Y-axis so that a minimum data value of the axis scale aligns with a first physical marker of the plurality of physical markers of the X-axis or the Y-axis and a maximum data value of the axis scale aligns with a last physical marker of the plurality of physical markers of the X-axis or the Y-axis,
• receive a user touch interaction with the touch-sensitive interface,
• provide feedback for the user touch interaction, determine a location of the user touch interaction on the stencil,
• identify the element of interest at the location, and
• cause information to be audibly provided on the element of interest.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a computer program executed by an electronic device, an identification of a stencil being used over a touch-sensitive interface associated with the electronic device from the stencil, the stencil comprising a first group of physical markers in a first axis, and a second group of physical markers in a second axis, and an optical identifier, each physical marker comprising a raised portion, wherein the each physical marker is arranged along an X-axis and a Y-axis, wherein the each physical marker in a column has a same shape and the each physical marker across different rows have different shapes or a repeating pattern;
• retrieving, by the computer program, calibration data for the stencil from the optical identifier, wherein the calibration data comprises a location of each physical marker, wherein the computer program determines the location of the each physical marker from an uploaded image of the stencil and compares it to the calibration data;
• graphically presenting, by the computer program, a graphical representation of data on the touch-sensitive interface, wherein the data is graphically presented based on the calibration data, wherein quadrant markers exists at a defined interval of a number of the each physical marker for orientation of a locate marker or an element of interest, wherein the quadrant markers each have designated shapes;
• receiving, by the computer program, a user touch interaction with the touch-sensitive interface;
• providing, by the computer program, feedback for the user touch interaction;
• determining, by the computer program, a location of the user touch interaction on the stencil;
• identifying, by the computer program, the element of interest at the location;
• and
• audibly providing, by the computer program, information on the element of interest.