Designing Gestural Interfaces

WAVE TO ACTIVATE

WHAT

Waving a hand (often in front of an indicated sensor) triggers an action.

USE WHEN

Use Wave to Activate for a simple gesture that is not typically done by accident. As such, this pattern is good for use in public spaces.

WHY

Wave to Activate is a simple, common gesture. It is also used by people trying to manually trigger Move Body to Activate or Proximity to Activate.

HOW

A number of sensors can be employed to detect a wave, including a camera and, most frequently, an infrared beam. A wave can also be captured by a very small range on a motion detector or heat sensor.

EXAMPLES

Figure 4-10. To use enMotion's Paper Towel Dispenser, you wave your hand in front of the sensor, and a sheet of paper towel comes out of the dispenser. Courtesy Georgia-Pacific.

Figure 4-11. You can turn on an Airswitch light by merely waving your hand slowly over the light. Users can make the light dim or brighten by moving their hand upward or downward. Courtesy Mathmos.

Figure 4-12. Users have only to wave their hand near the Waterdrop Weather Station Clock for it to "snooze" the alarm. Courtesy The Sharper Image.