A method and apparatus for obtaining a control signal from a control gesture

directed to a method for obtaining a control signal by detecting and evaluating a user gesture, wherein a directional axis (104) of a selected finger (102) of a hand (101) to an object (103) and the hand is rotated, the process steps of capturing an image of (hand, recognition of the selected finger, detecting the direction axis, calculating a sectional area of ​​the direction axis with the object region (105), determining the closest this sectional area of ​​the object, and detecting at least three fingers (117-121), determining the positions of the fingertips on an imaging plane 112), calculating a compensating straight line (125) from the positions of the finger tips, detecting a slope of the regression line, determining an initial location (122) of the regression line and selecting the initial position (as reference line 123), determining the slope of the reference line, determining the magnitude and direction an angle between the regression line and the reference line, and forming the control signal from the magnitude and direction of the angle. An apparatus for carrying out the method is proposed. Characterized mechanical control elements or touch screens are dispensable.