The purpose of this experiment is to explore and develop a classification system for “touch” through the documentation of hand motions.
From these documentation, I curated a collection of one hundred photographs that captured the key movements. Each motion was then assigned a name based on a corresponding verb that described the action.
Problem Discovery
I discovered that a multitude of hand gestures can only be effectively conveyed through a limited set of verbs. This underscores the vastness and complexity of body language as compared to verbal communication.
Taxonomy of Touch
The Taxonomy of Touch consists of three components: Hand Motions, Hand Motion Intensity, and the Contact Surface. Hand motions consist of twenty-five verbs. They are named by the first letter of each verb or the combination of the first letter and another letter. Hand motion intensity is divided into three categories - Light, Moderate and Strong - and named with L, M, and S accordingly. The contact surface is coded by numbers, based on the specific area of the skin surface which is contacted when hands touch an object, such as fingers, fingertips, palms, and backs of hands.
Category A: Hand motions
1. Hold (H) 2. Press (Pr) 3. Pinch (Pi) 4. Lift (L)
5. Pull (Pl) 6. Drag (Dr) 7. Type (Ty) 8. Squeeze (Sq) 9. Tap (Ta) 10. Grasp (Gp) 11. Swipe (Sw) 12. Twist (Tw) 13. Scoop (Sc) 14. Carry (C) 15. Wipe (Wi)16. Scratch (St) 17. Push (Ps) 18. Pet (Pe) 19. Pick (Pk) 20. Grab (Gb) 21. Write (Wr) 22. Dip (Di) 23. Rub (Rb) 24. Pat (Pa) 25. Flick (F)
Category B: Hand Motion Intensity
1. Light (L)
2. Moderate (M)
3. Strong (S)
Category C: Contact Surface
1. One Finger (1)
2. Two Fingers (2)
3. Three Fingers (3)
4. Four Fingers (4)
5. Five Fingers (5)
6. Fingertips (6)
7. Fingertips and nails (7)
8. Palm (8)
9. Fingers and Palm (9)
10. Back of hand (0)
