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Infinite canvas notes in the non-Euclidean Poincaré disk

Infinite canvas notes in the non-Euclidean Poincaré disk

by uonr·Jun 2, 2026·3 points·1 comment

AI Analysis

●●SolidRabbit HoleWizardryBold Bet

Hyperbolic geometry note-taking demo with Poincaré disk visualization, but controls need work.

Strengths
  • Non-Euclidean math implementation projects infinite space into finite disk keeping everything contextually visible
  • Coordinate-based teleportation system lets users paste coordinates into notes as portal links
  • Inspired by legitimate HCI research and HyperRogue, not just novelty for novelty's sake
Weaknesses
  • Author admits controls feel unintuitive and mode switching is annoying in current demo state
  • LLM-assisted math implementation means author lacks deep understanding of underlying geometry
Category
Target Audience

Knowledge workers, note-taking enthusiasts, HCI researchers

Similar To

Obsidian Canvas · Heptabase · Hyperbolic Tree browsers

Post Description

Hi!

This is an infinite canvas note-taking tool where notes are laid out in a non-Euclidean, hyperbolic geometric space. As you drag and navigate through the view, you’ll experience a unique fluid distortion that naturally leverages your brain's spatial memory.

I’ve been obsessed with the concept of space in HCI for years. Many modern UI patterns are essentially workarounds for the lack of screen real estate. While researching zoom-based UIs a while back, I stumbled upon old HCI papers that used the Poincaré disk model of the hyperbolic plane to organize data. It elegantly projects an infinite space into a finite disk, keeping everything contextually visible.

I wanted to build an experimental app around this concept years ago, but the non-Euclidean math was a significant roadblock. Recently, I decided to give it a shot with the help of LLMs. It turns out that LLMs can handle the mathematical heavy lifting quite well, specifically in designing the coordinate systems and optimization algorithms, provided that you guide them with a solid architectural design.

This is still an experimental demo, but I hope it leaves an impression. I’d love to know if you find this paradigm practical for organizing your thoughts.

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