Beyond Touch: A Comparative Study of Gesture and Tangible Interactions for Smart Tables Using Multi-Source Data

Understanding user interactions in smart restaurant environments is crucial for enhancing user experience and optimizing business operations. In this paper, a comparative analysis of two interactive systems was conducted: Gesture Recognition and Tangible User Interface (TUI), focusing on maximizing engagement and usability within smart dining contexts. Eye gaze tracking and facial expression analysis were integrated to provide deeper insights into user behavior and preferences during the interactive dining experience. The experimental study involves 10 participants performing specific tasks u sing both interaction methods in a controlled environment. Results indicate that gesture-based interaction outperforms TUI in terms of task completion time, with participants finding gestures more intuitive and enjoyable. The study revealed that participants using gesture-based interaction exhibited a faster performance compared to the Tangible User Interface, with an average completion time of 34.093 seconds. However, challenges such as hand strain were noted with gesture-based interaction. Emotion analysis revealed prevalent neutral expressions, with occasional misidentifications. Limitations include a small sample size and a focus on specific tasks, suggesting the need for further research with larger samples and diverse scenarios. Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of gesture recognition in smart restaurant environments and underscores the importance of considering user preferences and comfort in interactive system design.