ego/exo centric spatial gestures ... err ... easy control fo youripaq as an mp3 player

[Calum Morrell <calum@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Last night I attended my local BCS meeting with a presentation by Prof.
Stephen Brewster who specialises in human computer interaction [HCI] and
in particular is looking at non visual ways to interoperate with
computing devices.

One demo he provided in particular I immediately saw a potential use for
in HA. Using a bog standard IPAQ or similar device with some MP3s on it
and the prototype software developed by his group, you can control basic
playback functions with your finger, without having to look at the
screen! eg, swiping left to right to play next track, circuling
clockwise to increase volume etc.

The basic scenario his group have been testing is as simple as comparing
15 people walking round a course with no device, standard IPAQ and
having to bring it out to use the controls on screen and pocket based
IPAQ with the gesture software. If I recall correctly and taking no
device as normal walking speed at 100%, normal IPAQ control reduced this
to around 70% and gesture based to 93%. This was with little use of the
system so may well improve with use.

Now, taking this to HA level ... if a xAP / xPL interface was developed
for it, this could provide just one more option for controlling various
devices around your home and could be just as useful for visually
impaired and normal users. No doubt many of you can already think of far
more to do with this sort of technology, that's certainly what I'm hoping!

I spoke to him briefly after his presentation and mentioned some of my
thoughts and he has shown interest in possibly releasing the prototype
software for us to play with, possibly with the request for feedback etc
to help his research, but I'll leave that side upto him.

So, do we have anyone interested? I'm about to email him the relevant
details for the list etc and it would be good if some of you can show
initial interst to get this off the ground.

Thoughts?

- --
Calum Morrell
www.drochaid.org
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