Strategy Analytics met with Qeexo at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona.  Qeexo develop user interaction technology for smart devices such as large format touch screens and smartphone.

One of Qeexo’s technologies is FingerSense.  By understanding how a user is touching the screen, FingerSense elevates the user experience of touch-enabled devices, making them more intelligent, more powerful, and easier to use.  Huawei has implemented FingerSense on both the Honor V8 and Mate 9 in the form of ‘knuckle gestures’.  The device can differentiate between whether a user is using the tip of their finger or knuckle when interacting with the touchscreen, and perform a variety of functions based on the type of interaction.  Strategy Analytics undertook a benchmark evaluation of the Huawei Honor V8 and found some interest in knuckle gestures, but that they were not always easy to use.

Exhbit 1: Knuckle gesture to capture a screenshot on the Huawei Honor V8

Qeexo also demonstrated TouchTools.  TouchTools allows users to instantly summon and manipulate a variety of virtual tools with ease and precision.  In one of the examples being demonstrated, Qeexo simulated an in-car infotainment system, with a variety of different gestures enabled, based on the context of the screen.

If the user was in the radio screen, they could use their fingers to simulate turning a dial on the touchscreen.  This would open up a virtual volume control, which could then be turned to adjust the volume.  Using the same action, on the same screen, but with a smaller dial (i.e. fingers closer together) brought up a dial to scroll through radio frequencies. 

Exhibit 2: Volume and Frequency Controls using TouchTools

Previous SA research, including a benchmark of the 2016 BWM 7-Series, has found that gesture control in the car is not well implemented, can be very difficult for the user to actually control, and is often redundant.  By providing a place to anchor the hand on the touchscreen, TouchTools could allow for gesture control in a more user-friendly way, while still allowing for the elimination of physical controls.  However, the gestures need to be kept simple and intuitive, and ensure that they do not lead to driver distraction.

SA has conducted numerous studies around both gesture driven UIs and interaction with in-car infotainment units. For more information on these studies, please contact me directly.

- Paul Brown

pbrown@strategyanalytics.com