SKINPUT

Skinput: Appropriating the Body as an Input Surface Chris Harrison1,2 , Desney Tan2 , Dan Morris2 1 Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 chris. harrison@cs. cmu. edu 2 Microsoft Research... More

Skinput: Appropriating the Body as an Input Surface Chris Harrison1,2 , Desney Tan2 , Dan Morris2 1 Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 chris. harrison@cs. cmu. edu 2 Microsoft Research One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 {desney, dan}@microsoft. com ABSTRACT We present Skinput, a technology that appropriates the human body for acoustic transmission, allowing the skin to be used as an input surface. In particular, we resolve the location of finger taps on the arm and hand by analyzing mechanical vibrations that propagate through the body. We collect these signals using a novel array of sensors worn as an armband. This approach provides an always available, naturally portable, and on-body finger input system. We assess the capabilities, accuracy and limitations of our technique through a two-part, twenty-participant user study. To further illustrate the utility of our approach, we conclude with several proof-of-co Less