UW researchers invent unique way to control apps and order coffee

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed technology that could let you use your feet to order a coffee.

The technology uses something called “gait gestures,” which allows you to sidestep, take long strides, and drag your feet to control an augmented reality (AR) device.

“There’s a long history of using feet to control machines,” said Ching-Yi Tsai, lead author on the study. “For example, the pedals on the car, but very little research has been done into using the way we walk as an input for a device.”

The idea came from waterloo professor Daniel Vogel, who was upset that he had to stop and use his cold fingers to get a coffee on a walk a few years ago.

Vogel assembled a group of people to study which leg movements were easy enough to do while walking, but distinct enough to show up as inputs on the augmented reality device.

When paired with an augmented reality headset, people can control menus to order a coffee, change the music they’re listening to or answer calls.

While they’re still a ways away from widespread use of AR headsets, the researchers say this technology has legs.