Freehand Gesture Interaction

An input method for virtual and mixed reality systems that uses camera-based hand tracking to detect and interpret natural hand movements without requiring physical controllers. Freehand gestures such as pinching, grasping, pointing, and swiping are increasingly the default interaction method in commercial XR headsets including Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and Microsoft HoloLens. While often promoted as more intuitive and accessible than handheld controllers, freehand interactions still assume specific levels of dexterity, finger independence, and range of motion that not all users possess. Research shows these systems can cause significant pain and fatigue for users with upper limb motor impairments due to rigid gesture recognition thresholds and over-reliance on index finger movements.