Novel Uses of Pinch Gloves™ for Virtual Environment Interaction Techniques

The usability of three-dimensional (3D) interaction techniques depends upon both the interface software and the physical devices used. However, little research has addressed the issue of mapping 3D input devices to interaction techniques and applications. This is especially crucial in the field of Virtual Environments (VEs), where there exists a wide range of potential 3D input devices. In this paper, we discuss the use of Pinch Gloves™ – gloves that report contact between two or more fingers – as input devices for VE systems. We begin with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the gloves as a 3D input device. Next, we present a broad overview of three novel interaction techniques we have developed using the gloves, including a menu system, a text input technique, and a two-handed navigation technique. All three of these techniques have been evaluated for both usability and task performance. Finally, we speculate on further uses for the gloves.