Gestural Text Input Using a Smartwatch

Abstract

One challenge with modern smartwatches is text input. In this paper we explore the use of gestural interaction with a smartwatch to support text input. The inertial measurement unit of a smartwatch is used to capture gestural interaction by a user, and an external display is used to provide feedback. We examine two specific variants of gesture keyboards: the swype keyboard common on modern smartphones and the cirrin keyboard, a gestural keyboard that supports character input via directional gestures. We show, first, that freearm gestural input as sensed by a smartwatch exhibits similar efficiency as freearm gestural input sensed by motion capture systems. As well, we show that the smartwatch inertial measurement unit can support text input on ubiquitous computing displays.