Tholzer's Review 2/1/2011: Body-Centric Interaction Techniques for Very Large Wall Displays

Review of the article: Body-Centric Interaction Techniques for Very Large Wall Displays

Summary:

This article explores using shadow based interaction to control large displays. The system projects a shadow onto a wall using a virtual lighting source which changes as the user moves. Users are then able to select tools by moving hands to various parts of their body and interact with on screen activities using their hands.

Pros:

  • The shadows are a cool way of showing the user where on the screen they are currently located
  • The user studies talk about some interesting questions such as tool location
  • With advances in technology this could be a very practical way for users to interact with large displays without wearing any gear

Cons:

  • They dismiss pointing as a good way of selecting tools. Would it not be worth it to give it a shot?
  • Using the current file browsing feels like it might be clumsy if projected on top of the body, seems like it would be easy to lose your hand's shadow
  • They never talk about how one user is differentiated from another (I think)