On-body Input

An interaction technique that uses the surface of the user's own body — typically the hand, arm, or other skin areas — as an input surface for controlling digital devices. On-body input is sensed through wearable cameras, depth sensors, capacitive touch sensors, or acoustic methods that detect taps, swipes, and other gestures performed on the skin. For people with visual impairments, on-body input offers advantages over touchscreen interaction: the body provides always-available tactile and proprioceptive feedback (users can feel their own skin landmarks), it frees one hand from holding a device (important for cane or guide dog users), and it does not require locating a flat screen surface. Research has shown that hand-based locations (particularly the opposite palm) are preferred over the forearm or face for social acceptability reasons. On-body input is typically envisioned as a complement to, rather than replacement for, conventional touchscreen interaction.