Augmented Reality Based Input Interface for Wearable Computers

The recent developments of computer hardware have stimulated the study of Wearable Computers [1]. However, there are few research works on the interface system, which determines the usability of wearable computers. Therefore, the authors proposed "Hand-Menu System" [2], an innovative input interface for wearable computers, utilizing Augmented Reality techniques. This system gives the user a truly intuitive non-contact input interface with visual feedback and physical senses. When the wide opened hand in the users sight calls up this hand-menu system, the menu appears on the fingertips of a hand through the head mounted display. The user selects a certain item from the menu by touching a certain fingertip with the index finger of the other hand. As the user touches on a menu item with his/her own finger physically, the user can be certain that he/she selects the menu item. Therefore, this hand-menu interface enables the user to select a menu intuitively without any additional devices.