The Conductor Interaction Method : Interacting Using Hand Gestures and Gaze.

Over the past thirty years computers have increasingly become part of our everyday lives. Most humans have become computer users in one way or another, since many activities involve either the direct use of a computer or are supported by one. This has prompted research into developing methods and mechanisms to assist humans in interacting with computers (known as Human Computer Interaction or HCI). This research is responsible for the development of a number of techniques that have been used over the years, some of which are quite old but continue to be used, and some are more recent and still evolving. Many of these interaction techniques, however, are not natural in their use and typically require the user to learn a new means of interaction. Inconsistencies within these techniques and restrictions they impose on user creativity can also make such interaction techniques difficult to use, especially for novice users. This thesis proposes an alternative interaction method, the Conductor Interaction Method, which aims to provide a more natural and easier to learn interaction technique. This novel interaction method extends existing Human Computer Interaction methods by drawing upon techniques found in human-human interaction. It is argued that the use of a two-phased multimodal interaction mechanism, using gaze for selection and gesture for manipulation, incorporated within a metaphor based environment, can provide a viable alternative for interacting with a computer (especially for novice users). The model for the Conductor Interaction Method is presented along with an architecture and implementation for a system that realises it. The effectiveness of the Conductor Interaction Method is demonstrated via a number of studies, in which users made use of the developed system. The studies involved users of mixed computer experience.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Lancaster University

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Rachovides, Dorothy Katharine