Observing Hand Placement and Measurement on a Tabletop Using a Depth Camera

Tabletop computing is a new emerging interface that can be realized with low cost using depth sensor cameras such as the Microsoft Kinect. The optimization of the touch interface using depth measurements must take into account the size variations of a diverse population. In this study, we examine a sample population to understand the differences in hand measurements a depth camera would detect on a large tabletop computer. We have broken down the hand into three measurements (the three joints in the hand) that may be of interest to research working in the field. The hand measurements have been taken at different locations on the table to account for changes in the hand position caused by the user stretching their arm.