Reaching for the Ceiling : Exploring Modes of Interaction

The ceiling represents an unexplored domain that will soon be available as information space due to advances in technology. We investigated different interaction techniques for ceiling interaction. For this we developed a peripheral weather display projected onto the ceiling and a wizard of oz prototype. The applied interaction modes were laser pointing, finger pointing, and ball interaction. Overall, laser pointing was clearly favored by all participants, although ball interaction was rated highest concerning playfulness and fun of the interaction tasks. We also present initial design principles and parameters for the design of ceiling applications.