This paper contributes to the research on human-device interaction. It describes an experimental method of faceted search based on using contextual information from a multi-touch device. The proposed method combines a classical facet-based search with screening the visual effects by moving the lens above the surface of the multi-touch device. This method allows only regional subsets to be considered, so the area on the device is uncovered along a user-defined path.

The authors conduct a use case in the automotive industry, where designs are produced collaboratively. They implement the method in an intuitive user interface--the FacetLens widget, which can be used alone or as an add-on to other globally identified facets.

The authors claim that the proposed approach allows for efficient collaboration in design work where facets produced by different users can be combined.

Though a well-written paper, the work remains at a very experimental stage and its impact is unclear. That being said, this paper is good reading for scientists and engineers interested in human-device interaction and collaborative work environments.