Design exploration for the "squeezable" interaction

Abstract

We explore hand squeezing as a possible alternative way in which a user could engage in as the primary interaction modality to interact with everyday IT devices today. In doing so, we work on constructing a conceptual design space as a practical tool to orient ourselves and systematically brainstorm design possibilities for squeezable interaction. The constructed design space abstracts essential characteristics of squeezing interaction including the intensity, frequency and areas of squeezing in a structured way, helping explain existing examples of squeezing interactions we engage in our daily lives. By offering a set of new concepts and vocabulary to express different aspects of this modality, the design space can be effectively used to help brainstorm, discuss and create novel applications and usage situations with squeezing as the main interaction modality, resulting in facilitating pioneering new lines of interactive IT applications. The construction and refinement of the design space was in part supported by instrumenting and prototyping squeezable applications and testing with twenty participants one by one.