ForcePinch: Force-Responsive Spatial Interaction for Tracking Speed Control and Beyond

Spatial interaction in 3D environments requires balancing efficiency and precision, which requires dynamic tracking speed adjustments. However, existing techniques often couple tracking speed adjustments directly with hand movements, reducing interaction flexibility. Inspired by the natural friction control inherent in the physical world, we introduce ForcePinch, a novel force-responsive spatial interaction method that enables users to intuitively modulate pointer tracking speed and smoothly transition between rapid and precise movements by varying their pinching force. To implement this concept, we developed a hardware prototype integrating a pressure sensor with a customizable mapping function that translates pinching force into tracking speed adjustments. We conducted a user study with 20 participants performing well established 1D, 2D, and 3D object manipulation tasks, comparing ForcePinch against distance-responsive technique Go-Go and speed-responsive technique PRISM. Results highlight distinctive characteristics of the force-responsive approach across different interaction contexts. Drawing insights from these findings, we further propose a generative framework designed to systematically extend force-responsive interactions to diverse spatial interaction scenarios. To illustrate the versatility and practical applicability of this framework, we designed and implemented eight representative applications, offering guidelines and inspiration for future force-enabled interaction designs.