The Design of Hand Gestures for Selecting Virtual Objects

ABSTRACT

Providing input for the selection of objects in virtual, augmented, and mixed-mode reality can be done with hand-held controllers or hand gestures depending on the complexity and precision required. Free hand gestures have the advantages of eliminating the need for a controller, not needing to see the controls on the controller, and potentially being less fatiguing. However, the designs of hand gestures for object selection have not been thoroughly evaluated for usability and performance. Eighteen participants evaluated four different ray-casting hand gestures (index thrust, index click, palm thrust, and palm click) and three snapback thresholds while selecting 2D targets of different sizes. Dependent variables were mean time to select targets, number of selections not completed, number of incorrect targets selected, and subjective preference. The index thrust and index click gestures were preferred by subjects and had faster mean selection times and lower number of incorrect target selections. There were no significant differences between snapback thresholds on productivity, error, or preference. Overall, the index thrust and index click gestures were associated with greater user confidence, particularly with smaller targets.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors have no potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported in part by the Office Ergonomics Research Committee.

Notes on contributors

Jeffrey Lin

Jeffrey Lin was an undergraduate computer science major at the University of California at Berkeley at the time of the study and he who obtained his Bachelor of Science in 2016. He is currently working at Facebook, Inc.

Carisa Harris-Adamson

Carisa Harris-Adamson is Assistant Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 2010. Her research interests are in the design of workplace tasks and tools for improving performance and preventing fatigue.

David Rempel

David Rempel is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California at Berkeley. He obtained his Bachelors Degree in Bioengineering from the University of California at San Diego and his Medical Degree from the University of California at San Francisco in 1982.