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Touch & Gesture Diagnostics
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Spread Gesture Counter

Count recognized outward gestures.

Live Counter

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0

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CPS: 0.0•Peak: 0
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How the Spread Gesture Counter Works

The Spread Gesture Counter adds 1 each time 2 fingers move apart until the distance between them grows by at least 25%. The spread is the outward version of a pinch and zooms in on content.

  1. Place 2 fingers close together: Touch the surface with the thumb and index finger near each other.
  2. Spread outward: Move the fingers apart in any direction.
  3. Reach the scale limit: The spread counts when the gap reaches 1.25 times the starting gap or more.
  4. Lift and repeat: Lift both fingers to finish the gesture and start the next one.

Spread Gesture Counter Formula

The Spread Gesture Counter scale equals the current finger distance divided by the starting finger distance. A spread counts when the scale reaches 1.25 or higher.

Scale = d_now ÷ d_start | Spread = Scale ≥ 1.25
d_start
Gap between fingers at the start
d_now
Current gap between fingers

Example: Fingers start 80 px apart and end 260 px apart. Scale = 260 ÷ 80 = 3.25, which passes 1.25, so the count rises by 1.

Spread Gesture Counter Reference Table

The Spread Gesture Counter conversion table converts finger gaps into scale values and zoom-in levels. The start gap is 80 px (21.2 mm).

End gap (px)End gap (mm)ScaleZoom levelCounted
9023.81.13113%No
10026.51.25125%Yes
16042.32.00200%Yes
24063.53.00300%Yes
32084.74.00400%Yes

About the Spread Gesture Counter

A Spread Gesture Counter is a 2-finger gesture counter that tallies outward spreads, known as pinch-open or zoom-in gestures.

The spread uses finger extension, while the pinch uses finger flexion. Hand therapists treat the 2 movements as separate exercises, so counting them apart gives a clearer exercise record.

Ways to Use the Spread Gesture Counter

There are 5 main uses of the Spread Gesture Counter, including finger extension exercises and zoom testing.

  • Finger extension exercises: Therapists count spread reps for hand opening after injury.
  • Zoom testing: Developers confirm zoom-in triggers at a scale of 1.25.
  • Accessibility research: Researchers count how often low-vision users zoom in.
  • Map app testing: Testers count spreads needed to reach street-level zoom.
  • Child motor practice: Children practice opening the hand on a tablet.

Tool Details

Category
Touch & Gesture Diagnostics
Controls
Taps and keys
Input Support
Touch, Pen, Mouse, Keys
Offline Ready
On your device