Illustration of the intended interaction.
How it works
A gesture you already know, answered.
AstroGest is being developed so that pointing is all it takes to ask what something in the sky is. Here’s the interaction we’re designing.
Three steps
01
Point
Raise your hand and point toward something in the sky — a bright star, a planet, a hazy patch of light.
02
Hold
Hold the gesture for a moment. That brief pause is how you say “this one,” so a casual wave doesn’t trigger anything.
03
Discover
See what you’re pointing at: its name and a few essentials, placed near the object in your view.
This describes intended behavior. AstroGest is under development; how precisely it identifies objects, how long a hold takes, and the conditions it works in are still being designed and tested.
Interactive illustration
Feel the rhythm of point, hold, discover.
The demo uses a decorative star arrangement — it is not a live map of your sky and doesn’t track real objects or your hand. It’s here so you can feel the interaction.
Interactive illustration — not live sky tracking
Try it: hover over a light and hold still — or press and hold on touch. A ring fills while you hold; move away or lift your finger to cancel. Prefer not to hold? Use Identify.
Point at a light to discover what it is.
Design principles
Built around intent, not interruption.
Deliberate
A brief hold signals “this one,” so ordinary movement doesn’t fill your view with labels.
Unobtrusive
Information is meant to appear near the object and step aside when you lower your hand.
Honest
Where a view is enhanced or artistic, the experience is designed to say so.
Alternatives
Gesture shouldn’t be the only way in. Other ways to find and identify objects are part of the design.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is AstroGest a separate pair of glasses?
No. AstroGest is a feature — a way of identifying what you see in the sky by pointing at it. It is designed to debut in Umbra, the celestial eyewear experience from Reality Modulation.
How does AstroGest relate to Umbra?
Umbra is the eyewear and sky experience. AstroGest is the pointing-and-identification interaction being developed for it. Think of Umbra as the product and AstroGest as one of the things it is designed to let you do.
Is the demo on this site live sky tracking?
No. The demo is an interactive illustration of the intended interaction. It doesn’t use your camera, location or motion sensors, and its star arrangement is decorative, not a live map of your sky.
Can I reserve without paying?
Yes. Reserving is free and records your interest only. There is no payment, deposit or account, and it does not guarantee inventory, price or a delivery date.
Is a release date announced?
Not yet. AstroGest and Umbra are in development. We will not publish a date until we can stand behind it.
Something else? Ask us.
Reserve Umbra
Be among the first to point and discover.
Reserving your interest in Umbra is free. No payment, no account — just a note that you’d like to hear when there’s real news.
Reserving doesn’t guarantee inventory, price or a delivery date.