CODE SPACE: TOUCH + AIR GESTURE HYBRID INTERACTION FOR SUPPORTING DEVELOPER MEETINGS

This paper addresses the need for information sharing between developers during important design meetings. They point that most meetings are single presenter style and developers need to share their ideas with each other. The system enables interaction with the shared display with the use of a hand or a touch phone (laptop/ touch pad). A person can point, select, and move objects on the shared display. Similarly, the system enables peer-to-peer sharing through drag and drop air gestures from one touch phone to another. The system supported the following air gestures; pointing with the finger, flat hand for selection and moving. Also temporary tracing and underlining with the use of arm + phone.

This paper highlights some of the problems associated with air gestures:

Extensive use of arm/hand waving makes it difficult to be socially acceptable.

Tactile response: Difficult to identify a gesture to trigger a distinct action. For example, In order to perform an action like, Save, you can make the pen click gesture.

Imperfect Recognition

Accidental Activation: Difficult to identify when the person is gesturing for the application or in general.

Segmentation Ambiguity: Gestures are continuous and it is difficult to distinguish the start and end of a gesture.

They overcame some of these issues with the use of gesture + touch enabled interaction in Code Space. An example of such as gesture is pointing the device at a specific object on the shared display and pressing the thumb to copy the object to the device. In contrast, they also provided the gesture only interaction for touch pad/laptop. You can point with your first hand at the object on the shared display and then with the second hand point at your device where you want the object. The order of selection determines the direction of transfer.

The researchers point the importance of knowing who is manipulating the display and whether to share the information provided by someone. Similarly, in peer-to-peer sharing pushing information is allowed, however, pulling information is not.

According to the results of the study, the developers liked the Code Space and were willing to use the provided gestures, except for pointing at another person.