Download proposal.pdf.

Many interactions with mobile devices could be more like checking the time on a wristwatch - short and almost without conscious thought. I term activities like these microinteractions.

For my dissertation work, I propose to investigate and design interfaces to facilitate microinteractions. I will do this through developing interfaces for small, on-body devices. Many interactions that might otherwise be micro- are stymied by too-long “setup” times - the amount of time it takes to retrieve the device and navigate to the appropriate application - that must take place before the desired interaction can be accomplished. My proposed work will shorten or remove altogether the setup time

The lack of support for microinteractions in current technology leads to a failure to use the provided functionality, to the detriment of the user. To better enable microinteractions, I propose to develop two new techniques for wrist-based interactions. I choose the wrist because it is a socially acceptable platform for wearable devices, and because it enables very fast access. The two interactions are touchscreen-based and gesture-based.

One issue with mobile interactions is how to avoid false activations, when the device is unintentionally activated by some natural action of the user. Many current devices attempt to solve the problem by having “push-to-activate” mechanisms; however, this practice results in added complexity and, in some cases, the loss of single-handed functionality. The methods that I explore in this proposal remove the need for push-to-activate functionality, allowing the user to initiate microinteractions with no prelude.

For the touchscreen-based interactions, I propose to use a round-faced touchscreen watch. Historically, most clocks and watches have been circular, while all commercially available touchscreen watches thus far have been rectangular. I present results of a study on the best method for placing buttons around the rim of a round touchscreen watch, and I propose two related interaction techniques that simultaneously encourage users to utilize the most efficient method of interaction and prevent undesired interaction due to accidental touches of the screen.

Mobile gesture-based systems in particular suffer from the issue of unintentional activation: the normal movements of the user can be confused for intentional gestures. This problem is most often solved with push-to-activate; however, in the case of wrist-based gesture systems, pushing requires the use of the non-wristwatch hand, meaning that the gesture functionality could easily be replaced by buttons. I propose a solution to the unintentional activation problem that, rather than involving pushing-to-activate, uses an “Everyday Gesture Library” to help interaction designers choose gestures that are unlikely to be confused with normal gestures made in the course of daily life.