Pointing and selecting with tactile glove in 3D environment

Abstract

With emerging technologies, computing has evolved beyond spatial constrains, and location-aware applications have become possible. The symbiosis between human and computer has now a new factor: space. Aiming at increasing the awareness of the environment, we propose a tactile glove concept as a medium in between human and computer that allows computer to interpret users’ intention in the space while information could be perceived by users via tactile modality. A glove prototype was built demonstrating pointing and selecting application in 3D space with tactile guidance. By following tactile guidance presented on the fingers, users can locate targets in 3D space without visual feedback from the system. As information presented on visual interface could dominate users’ perception, which might hamper the awareness of the surrounding, the proposed glove interface implies an alternative that allows interacting with information while visual attention is released onto the environment.