Abstract. We report the development and evaluation of a gesture-based interaction prototype for controlling the loading station of a factory automation system. In this context, gesture-based interaction has the potential to free users from the tedious physical controls but it must also account for safety considerations and users' perceptions. We evaluated the gesture interaction concept in the field to understand its applicability to industrial settings. Our findings suggest that gesture-based interaction is an emotional, physically charged experience that has the potential to enhance the work process. Participants' feedback also highlighted challenges related to the reliability of gesture recognition technology in the workplace, the perceived professionalism of gesture-based interaction, and the role of physical feedback in promoting feeling of control. Our results inform the development of gesture-based interaction for similar contexts. Keywords: Gesture-based interaction, emotions, user experience, field study. Gesture-based interaction could provide many benefits as an alternative to physical controls in industrial settings, where the manual operation of machinery can be ergonomically challenging and hazardous or is governed by safety regulations. Several characteristics of gesture-based systems affect their usability in such settings, including technical aspects such as latency of operation, stability, resolution, and precision [1], as well as human-centered aspects such as intuitiveness, ergonomics, and ease of gesture performance and recall [2] . Appropriately designed systems must balance these sometimes contradictory concerns. We report the findings from a year-long design and development process of a gesture-based interaction concept, focusing on the results of evaluations conducted in real context of use. The overall goal of the research was to create novel interaction concepts for metal workshops and to study their potential in real work tasks. Our research was aimed at answering the following questions:
In a similar manner, other researchers REF developed an interactive prototype for controlling the loading station of a factory automation system.
Designing Gesture-Based Control for Factory Automation
INTERACT
Computer Science