Interaction with a 3D Surface for an Innovative Input Experience on a Central Console

In this work, we explore the development of an interactive 3D central console for vehicles aimed at simplifying access to tasks unrelated to driving, such as adjusting seats and controlling music. We investigated three console designs with front surface angles of 45°, 90° and 135°.

The initial study assessed how users interact with these three prototypes. Subsequently, we examined the ease with which users could reach across the different shapes. Additionally, we conducted a gesture elicitation study styled on guessability with the 135° model, focusing on user interaction with four applications: a radial menu, a 2D menu, car seat adjustments, and map navigation. Summarizing, this work aims to create a central console that is ergonomic, minimalist, and utilizes surface gestures, setting a new standard for future car interiors.

Motivation

In this work, we focus on the design of the car middle console, which is a potential zone for accepting user input to activate specific in-car functions that are not directly related to driving, such as controls for seat adjustment, recreation, environment and so on. Our aim is to explore the optimal shape and relative common arrangement for an interactive central console interface, with a specific emphasis on facilitating a novel and effective interaction.

Departing from traditional approaches that rely on flat surfaces and physical controllers (e.g. touchscreen mounted on dashboard), our research endeavors to re-imagine the middle console interface by leveraging buttonless, three-dimensional (3D) surface interaction. In contrast to existing literature, which primarily explores interaction with single flat surfaces, the study aims to transcend these limitations by investigating interaction across three surfaces. By removing the conventional central console controller, we aspire to introduce a novel user experience facilitated by multi-surface interaction.

From a Fitts’ Law-style pointing task study conducted to determine the optimal shape of the central console, we found that the 135° console was preferred due to better visibility, ergonomics, and alignment with the vehicle’s motion. A reachability analysis indicated that the front and top surfaces of the 3D console provided larger interactable areas compared to the side surface. During gesture elicitation sessions, users performed a variety of gestures for different in-car tasks, with individual preferences influenced by the console’s shape and their prior experience.

To understand the design space of semaphoric middle console gestures using all three surfaces, we conducted a guessability-style study. Based on literature review, we initially summarized all possible gestures to demonstrate the range of user interactions that a touch-sensitive interface can detect and respond to. When designing gesture interactions for a 3D interface, it is crucial to understand the specific tasks to be performed and the repertoire of existing multitouch gestures, as these significantly influence users’ perception of gesture intuitiveness. For example, linear or 2D menus are ideally navigated using swipe gestures along orthogonal axes, whereas tasks like navigating a radial menu or adjusting a circular volume control may more naturally involve rotational gestures. 

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Team

Rahul Bhaumik, Michael Haller