The Audio Notebook augments a paper notebook, synchronizing the user's handwritten notes with an audio recording of the material. Familiar objects like paper and pen are used for interacting with the audio rather than artifacts left over from analog devices, such as fast forward and rewind controls. The ultimate goal is to allow the user to skim both the written notes and audio recording. A goal of the Audio Notebook is to augment rather than replace the user's current notetaking tools. The primary notetaking strategy for students and professionals attending lectures and meetings remains paper and pen.
Users often remember a mapping of physical locations in their notes to the desired information.
As the user writes in an ordinary paper notebook, the audio of a lecture or meeting is recorded digitally. After recording, audio can be accessed by space or by time. Playback can be started by pointing to a location in the notebook with the pen. Dragging the pen along an audio scrollbar navigates a time-line of the audio associated with each page. Audio Notebook prototype.