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New software allows hand gestures to summon virtual tools for easy touch screen control

TouchTools’ gesture software could command the future of multi-touch

TouchTools

Multi-touch screens have revolutionized the way humans interact with a variety of technologies from cell phones to car dashboards and soda machines. Since touch technology went mainstream, devices have become much more capable, yet the core user experience has remained stagnant. One company, Qeexo, intends to introduce the world to TouchTools, a new gesture software designed to elevate touch interaction. 

“Everybody uses pinch and zoom because it’s easy to remember,” said Sang Won Lee, CEO of a gesture control company called Qeexo. “The reason we don’t use three- or four-finger gestures is because we can’t remember what they do — but you can probably hold a computer mouse with your eyes closed, right?”

That is the thinking behind Qeexo’s TouchTools software, which adopts commonly distinguishable gestures to allow users to easily summon virtual tools on a touch screen, including a tape measure, ruler, magnifying glass, camera, pen, and eraser. 


The company uses machine learning to teach TouchTools the natural hand movements for certain actions, such as the way one holds a mouse or pen so that it can interpret the gesture correctly. The implementation of artificial intelligence in the software enables TouchTools to adapt to each user, increasing the likelihood that the machine will correctly learn which type of gesture corresponds to which tool. 

“We don’t want to make people learn a whole lot of new gestures, we want to make gestures that people are already familiar with,” said Sang. The software is currently most adept for large screens but the company is working with app developers to modify TouchTools for smaller-scale screens, as and determine which features are most relevant for the broad range of consumer devices.

Qeexo is working with an OEM partner and is hoping to have TouchTools inside a consumer device before the end of 2016.

Sources: Qeexo , Digital Trends , The Verge

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