Are Integrators Putting the ‘Gesture’ in GUI Design?

Most of the available hardware isn’t capable of iOS/Android style gesture control that everyone is used to (via their smart phones). Most manufacturers have something new that works with gestures but the rest of the line does not. This can make it difficult to keep the UI consistent a a single project.Obviously we could use iPads everywhere but there are limitations with it. Most will not allow us to use a 10” panel in every wall and the slide to unlock feature is still a pain to deal with so iOS/Android devices as primary controllers isn’t a perfect solution for everyone.

In the past we had to explain how to use touchpanels and how to navigate the UI. Today the clients jump right in and start experimenting. I have seen clients attempt to swipe pages on conventional touchpanels. We can thank the smart phone market for that.

I have no plans to update my templates right now. I am guesstimating 12 months before gesture control is working well on all devices.

What i cant wait for… touch monitors, touchpads for gestures and voice command is something i would love to see more of. I envision walking into my family room and saying TV ON and then using a touchpad (mounted on my sofa or chair arm) to navigate an on screen UI for my DirecTV receiver. Alternatively i walk up to the TV in the kitchen or master bath and use it as a large touchpanel.

All of this is possible now but IMO its not polished or ready for the masses. What i mean is that if you want a solid polished solution its too expensive for typical households. The DIY solutions are great for the geeks but too convoluted for grandma to figure out. Example would be using an HTPC to watch TV. Grandma would get lost in XBMC or Boxee etc just trying to get to TV.

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Microsoft has been putting a lot of focus on making Kinect more widely available. Earlier this month they released Kinect SDK for Windows (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2399691,00.asp). Last Year they starting engaging TV content delivering companies including Comcast and Verizon (http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/microsoft-reveals-new-tv-providers-on-xbox-360-in-the-us-and-int/) to enable Kinect based gesture and voice control for TVs. Clearly Microsoft believes in the potential.
Whether nd when gesture will become mainstream is food for thought, although major TV manufacturers (Samsung, LG) has already announced products in CES earlier this year. (http://www.techradar.com/news/television/in-pictures-samsung-and-lg-s-gesture-tv-tech-1053691). They definitely want to take a stab at this.
Using gesture based control interface will not be any more complex than the UIs for smartphones or tablets. If there is a market for smartphones and tablets, there is a potential for gesture based controlled devices.

Gaurav, Texas Instruments

Kinect would be great to fire the system up but i need a touchpad for control of a cable box (for example).I am way too lazy to raise my hand when i want to channel up and i dont want to have to keep saying “channel up” “channel up”. Im thinking something wifi thats flat and sits in the arm of the sofa. Apples mouse could work or any cheap touchpad.

So “Watch Cable” voice command is great and improves the experience. You can fire the system up while walking into the room. Having to say “Channel Up” is okay but should be an alternative/additional option not the primary method of control. It would be neat in a game room. You are at the pool table and you want to channel up or mute the audio. You can do it without putting your stick down.

The UI has to be very simple for gestures to work. Think apples remote. The reason smartphones and tablets are fine with gesture control is because you are looking at them when navigating them. When watching TV you dont want to look down each time so you need a button pattern like with a standard hard button remote or an OSD with simple gesture control.