Gestures in HCI often have a meaning in the real world or are specifically designed for an application. They have a definition and purpose. We introduce Null Gestures: Bodily utterances that have no clearly defined purpose or meaning, such as rubbing one's chin while thinking. They exist, but their assignment is 'Null'. Using the computer, we help users unlock their potential by giving them a meaning in the human-computer dialogue. We thus hope to instigate a discussion about their potential use in HCI and the role of the computer as an enabler for the discovery of unused motor abilities.
['Karsten Seipp', 'Katrien Verbert']
From Inaction to Interaction: Concept and Application of the Null Gesture