One-handed character input method for smart glasses

Abstract

A character input method optimized for smart glasses is presented. The user grabs the input device with one hand and taps or strokes with the thumb. The entered text is displayed on the smart glass. A dynamic input guide is also provided to help users enter characters. The feature of this method is that the user can enter characters without looking at the fingertip. This allows the user to enter text while paying attention to the surroundings. Characters are selected by the movement of the thumb, so when a user enters text on a crowded street, people around him/her will not notice. Of course, the entered text will not be peeped. Japanese hiragana and alphanumeric characters can be entered in each mode. One character is entered in two steps. In the first step, a group of 5 characters is selected by slide-in. This is a stroke from outside to inside the input area. In the second step, one character in the group is selected by a tap or a stroke. In experiments, the average input speed for beginners was 21.4 [CPM] after using 15.5 min. The error rate was about 6%, but many misoperations occurred. These misoperations were mainly caused by determining the position of the fingertip by the feel of the touch. To reduce them, we shown an alternative to slide-in strokes. In addition, we have presented how to apply the proposed method to European languages.