Abstract

We explore the high potential of elastic controllers for casual interaction in mobile and ubiquitous computing scenarios. While several remote interaction techniques with handheld or body-worn devices have been proposed, the usage of string-based, elastic interaction is still underexplored. Therefore, we first introduce a systematic design space along the axes reference system, interaction dimensions, sensing methods and haptic feedback. Our main contribution is Elasticcon, a versatile, wearable device with a retractable string and a set of exchangeable traction knobs. This elastic controller provides several degrees of freedom and allows rich interaction techniques. As a result of an iterative design process, we also contribute two working prototypes for belt-worn and handheld use. To demonstrate their versatility, we implemented several promising application scenarios. We tested Elasticcon in three smaller user studies investigating qualitative usability aspects and found initial evidence for elastic controllers as being comfortable, casual and yet accurate interaction devices.

Related Publications


Elasticcon: Elastic Controllers for Casual Interaction
Konstantin Klamka, Raimund Dachselt
In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services. MobileHCI’15, Copenhagen, Denmark. ACM, 410-419, 2015.
Publisher Video Research Website
Demonstrating Elasticcon: Elastic Controllers for Casual Interaction
Konstantin Klamka, Raimund Dachselt
Accompanying Interactivity Research Demo at the 17th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services. MobileHCI ’15, Copenhagen, Denmark. ACM, 2015.

Elasticcon:
Elastic Controllers for Casual Interaction

Category Wearables and eTextiles
Project date 2015
Project URL imld.de/elasticcon/
Collaborators Prof. Raimund Dachselt
Video Watch on YouTube
Technologies
and Methods
WPF XAML C# Arduino C SPP HID Google Earth API PowerPoint Add-In Rapid Prototyping Resing Casting Mechanical Engineering
Presentation at ACM MobileHCI 2015
in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Further presentations
Interactivity at Long Night of Science '16
Interactivity at Output.DD '15
received dresden|exists award for the most innovative and creative project Interactivity at ACM MobileHCI '15