This paper presents a new type of gesture for identifying spatio-temporal patterns: the analog gesture. Analog gestures can be characterized by some features (speed, acceleration, direction, and angle) which describe the dynamic morphology of the gesture. At first, we detail interactive tasks that should benefit for the use of analog gestures. Then we give a state of the art concerning gesture recognition and investigate the specificity and the main properties of the analog gesture. Then, we propose a review of the surveillance maritime system called Hyperion which uses analog gestures. Finally, we give an example of the use of this type of gesture by the operator. It concerns the interactive detection of ship abnormal trajectories in the context of maritime surveillance .