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Gesture

“A gesture is a motion of the body that contains information. Waving goodbye is a gesture. Pressing a key on a keyboard is not a gesture because the motion of a finger on its way to hitting a key is neither observed nor significant. All that matters is which key was pressed”. [Kurtenbach and Hulteen]

Gestures are the input through which users interact with the interface of an display. But where exactly does it start and where does it end? Is it just a movement or maybe more? According to the cite from Kurtenbach and Hulteen a gesture can be defined as movement of the body that is performed to convey meaning. Meaning therefore implicitly determines the relevant components of a single gesture and sets its boundaries.
Explore the gestural interaction space of elastic displays under gesture alphabet.

Gesture Classifications

Note: The following compilation is not a complete collection of approaches to classify gestures that in our opinion are useful.

General classification of gestures by Cadoz,
cited in Ergotic / epistemic / semiotic functions [Luciani]

1. Ergotic: modify environment using force
2. Epistemic : explore the environment via tactile sense
3. Semiotic : transfer information to the environment by following conventions, e.g. wave good-bye, sign language

General classification of gestures for gestural interfaces,
An Intuitive Two-Handed Gestural Interface for Computer Supported Product Design [Hummels et al.]

1. predefined symbolic commands (emblems): based on technical commands
2. gesticulations representing content of speech
3. act gestures to describe the form of objects (descriptive) or transform objects (manipulative)

“Kendon’s continuum”, classification of gestures by dependency on speech (*),
cited in Gesture: A Psycholinguistic Approach [McNeil]

1. Gesticulations (Beat, Cohesive)
2. Language-Like (Iconic)
3. Pantomimes (Pantomimic)
4. Emblems (Deictic)
5. Sign Language (Symbolic) (*descending)

Classification of semiotic gestures by Rime and Schiaratura,
cited in Gestures in Human-Computer Interaction [Muser]

1. Deictic: pointing, e.g. using a mouse pointer
2. Motoric: marks the rhythm of speech
3. Symbolic / emblematic: contextual conventions, e.g. thumbs up
4. Iconic: represents the content of the speech, e.g. shape of an object
5. Metaphoric: illustrates abstract ideas

General classification of elastic gestures,
Investigating Gestures on Elastic Tabletops [Kammer et al.]

PUSH - TOUCH - PULL

Classification of touch gestures for screen devices,
Material Design: Types of Gestures [Google]

1. navigational gestures (move through)
2. act gestures (complete actions + use shortcuts)
3. transform gestures (transform objects)

Examples

See Elastic Gestures for gestural interaction on elastic displays.

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