The five primary human senses -- sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell -- can be input/output channels for communication between humans and computers.  Sight, hearing and touch have a higher capacity for rapid, complex transmission and thus can be viewed as "broad-band senses" for communication between humans and computers.

ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF COMPUTER-TO-HUMAN COMMUNICATION

Sight and hearing are the most common methods of computer-to-human communication -- through screen display, audio signal and computer-generated speech. Touch is an alternative means of computer-to-human communication which may become more common with a rise in virtual reality, but currently lags far behind sight and hearing as a basis for computer-to-human communication.

ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF HUMAN-TO-COMPUTER COMMUNICATION

Touch through keyboard, mouse, joystick, touch-screen and other devices is the most common method of human-to-computer communication. Hearing and sight are alternative methods of human-to-computer communication.  The primary form of human-to-computer communication based on hearing is voice recognition technology.  The primary form of human-to-computer communication based on sight is gesture recognition technology.  Gesture recognition includes computer recognition of hand gestures and sign language, body stance and movement, full facial expressions and (in the future) perhaps lip reading as well.

INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION METHODS

There are four main reasons why alternative methods of communication between humans and computers are important.

First, an alternative method may provide higher-quality and more-natural communication than the common method alone.  For example, the ability to rotate a virtual object in three dimensions using one's hand can be more natural and accurate than using joysticks.

Second, the common method may not be possible due to human physical limitations or environmental conditions.  For example, gesture recognition may enable human-to-computer communication when human speech and touch are not possible due to injury or illness.  Also, human-to-computer communication by touch may not be possible in hostile environments that require a protective suit.  Communication by voice may not be possible in a noisy or otherwise non-sound-conductive environment.

Third, an alternative method may be less expensive or more durable with respect to wear and tear on the computer than the common method. For example, people may be able to interact with computers in public places through hand gestures without the wear and tear of keyboard or mouse devices or the expense and space limitations of touch-screen technology.

Fourth, an alternative method may be be healthier with respect to wear and tear on the human than the common method.  For example, carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitious keyboard and mouse movements is increasing rapidly.  Human-to-computer communication through gesture recognition can greatly reduce this health risk.

DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION BY GESTURE RECOGNITION

Human gestures can be recognized by a computer through the use of a device attached to the human or through processing of visual images alone by a computer.  Although both technologies allow recognition of human gestures, attached devices can be thought of as a subset of touch-based communication rather than sight-based communication.  The core of gesture recognition is the visual processing and 2-or-3-dimensional modeling of the structure and movement of the human body (e.g. hand, arm, face, lips, or entire body).  This can draw heavily from the fields of human anatomy, kinesiology, and human optical processing.

GESTURE RECOGNITION RELATED PRODUCTS

Due to the tremendous potential for sight-based human-to-computer communication, there will likely be a dramatic increase in gesture recognition software and related products during the coming years.  This website is intended for such developments.
 

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