The Wireless Charger as a Gesture Sensor: A Novel Approach to Ubiquitous Interaction

TL;DR

EMGesture utilizes electromagnetic signals from wireless chargers to enable contactless gesture recognition, offering a privacy-preserving, cost-effective, and highly accurate interaction method suitable for smart environments.

Contribution

This paper introduces EMGesture, a novel approach that leverages EM signals from wireless chargers for accurate, contactless gesture recognition, expanding interaction modalities.

Findings

Achieves over 97% gesture recognition accuracy

Demonstrates higher usability and convenience in user studies

Proves practicality and cost-effectiveness for pervasive interaction

Abstract

Advancements in information technology have increased demand for natural human-computer interaction in areas such as gaming, smart homes, and vehicles. However, conventional approaches like physical buttons or cameras are often limited by contact requirements, privacy concerns, and high costs.Motivated by the observation that these EM signals are not only strong and measurable but also rich in gesture-related information, we propose EMGesture, a novel contactless interaction technique that leverages the electromagnetic (EM) signals from Qi wireless chargers for gesture recognition. EMGesture analyzes the distinctive EM features and employs a robust classification model. The end-to-end framework enables it capable of accurately interpreting user intent. Experiments involving 30 participants, 10 mobile devices, and 5 chargers showed that EMGesture achieves over 97% recognition accuracy. Corresponding user studies also confirmed higher usability and convenience, which demonstrating that EMGesture is a practical, privacy-conscious, and cost-effective solution for pervasive interaction.