Communications of the ACM
Gestures Set to Shake p Mobile ser Interfaces
Gesture-recognition technology like that embedded into a wrist-mounted device by Georgia Tech will become common for mobile phones, interface expert Christian Lindholm says.
Credit: Georgia Institute of Technology
Mobile interface expert Christian Lindholm believes that mobile phones will be transformed in the next few years due to advances in fold-out screens, gesture controls, and augmented reality. Lindholm says gesture-control technology will become commonplace, and he notes that already some Nokia phones reject calls if they are turned upside down and the iPhone undoes the previous action when shaken. He also says that files will be shared with a gesture or touch.
Standardization for gesture controls will eventually enable people to perform tasks in similar ways on different devices, Lindholm says. Meanwhile, his company is developing a sensitive trackpad to replace the mobile phone keyboard. "That's interesting because then we get pressure," Lindholm says. "So we could put a gas pedal and a brake pedal on keys."
Today's smartphones already provide an augmented reality application, using global positioning system receivers and accelerometers, but Lindholm predicts that eventually they will be able to use an augmented reality application on the people they are conversing with. Mobile phone screens are growing in size, but it's a delicate balance, he says. The iPhone was innovative because it was larger than the status quo, but it pushes the limit.
"To me it's fantastically interesting that no one has dared to challenge Apple on the width because it's then perceived as being too wide," he says. But once foldable screens are developed, the problem may become a moot point, Lindholm says.
From InfoWorld
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