Poster: Gesture-based control of avatars for social TV

We present a new inteface system for social TV in which users can share emotional responses to TV content on air with other viewers via their avatars that can be easily controlled by simple three-dimensional hand gesture. The gesture is captured by a three-axis accelerometer included in a mobile phone, and instantly triggers a visually similar avatar expression. The intuitive mapping between user gestures and avatar behaviors minimizes cognitive burden for communication while watching TV, and also facilitates funny and enjoyable social experiences. Our initial implementation has been invited to an international exhibition on smart TV, and has received largely positive feedback from the participants.