diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 44ee5e30c6..6211e6f0d8 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -801,6 +801,17 @@ void MyAvatar::updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix) {
     }
 }
 
+void MyAvatar::computeHandAzimuth() {
+    controller::Pose leftHandPoseAvatarSpace = getLeftHandPose();
+    controller::Pose rightHandPoseAvatarSpace = getRightHandPose();
+    glm::vec3 localLookat(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);
+    glm::vec3 rightHandRigSpace = rightHandPoseAvatarSpace.rotation * localLookat;
+    glm::vec3 lefttHandRigSpace = leftHandPoseAvatarSpace.rotation * localLookat;
+
+    _hipToHandController = glm::vec2(rightHandRigSpace.x, rightHandRigSpace.z);
+
+}
+
 void MyAvatar::updateJointFromController(controller::Action poseKey, ThreadSafeValueCache<glm::mat4>& matrixCache) {
     assert(QThread::currentThread() == thread());
     auto userInputMapper = DependencyManager::get<UserInputMapper>();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 10b5884d5a..6b7c4e83a1 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ public:
     // as it moves through the world.
     void updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix);
 
+    // compute the hip to hand average azimuth.
+    void computeHandAzimuth();
+
     // read the location of a hand controller and save the transform
     void updateJointFromController(controller::Action poseKey, ThreadSafeValueCache<glm::mat4>& matrixCache);
 
@@ -1658,6 +1661,8 @@ private:
     glm::vec2 _headControllerFacingMovingAverage { 0.0f, 0.0f };   // facing vector in xz plane (sensor space)
     glm::quat _averageHeadRotation { 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f };
 
+    glm::vec2 _hipToHandController;  // facing vector in xz plane (sensor space)
+
     float _currentStandingHeight { 0.0f };
     bool _resetMode { true };
     RingBufferHistory<int> _recentModeReadings;