1. A method executed in a wearable device, the method comprising: establishing a null state wherein an applications processor of the device is in a sleep state and a user interface component of the device is in an inactive state; executing, in a coprocessor of the device, a plurality of gesture detection algorithms including one or more raise-gesture detection algorithms to detect a completed raise gesture and a preheat detection algorithm to detect an initiation of the raise gesture; wherein executing the raise-gesture detection algorithm includes: selecting criteria for identifying a raise gesture based on a starting pose determined from a set of motion sensor data samples; and detecting the completed raise gesture based at least in part on whether the selected criteria are satisfied; generating, by the preheat detection algorithm, a preheat event in the event that the initiation of the raise gesture is detected; generating, by at least one of the raise-gesture detection algorithms, a raise-gesture event in the event that the completed raise gesture is detected; transitioning the applications processor from the sleep state to a wake state in response to the preheat event; and transitioning the user interface component from the inactive state to an active state in response to the raise-gesture event.