PairRing: A Ring-Shaped Rotatable Smartwatch Controller.

Smartwatch users often report usability problems despite its handiness and convenience. Fingers often block the screen, and both hands are often required to operate the gadget. To address these issues, we present PairRing, a ring-shaped rotatable smartwatch controller. PairRing allows users to scroll up and down listed items by turning the ring on their index finger with their thumb. To determine the optimal ring shape and rotation speed, we designed and conducted a user study and report the results. We found that (1) users could perform tasks better with the angular ring prototype; (2) the rapid rotation speed was better suited for browsing ordered lists; and (3) overall, participants were positive about the feasibility of the prototype. We conclude with a discussion on the design implications of PairRing as well as its future applications.