Development Tool for Rapid Evaluation of Eyes-free In-vehicle Gesture Controls

Abstract

In-vehicle controls, such as navigation systems, radio dials, and climate controls, can be visually demanding and can increase crash risk. We are attempting to use commercially available gesture detection equipment to develop an eyes-free system that can provide access to the same controls without increasing crash risk. We envision a system that can be controlled by intuitive inair gestures. Information about system status and gesture detection can be provided through an auditory menu display, rather than the visual modality as in touchscreen controls. Here, we describe our motivation to develop the system and describe a tool we have developed to help researchers, even those without programming experience, to configure multiple system designs for rapid usability evaluation and iteration practices.