1. A method for detecting a raise gesture in a wrist-wearable device, the method comprising: determining, by a first processor in the device, based on a set of motion-sensor data samples corresponding to a time interval, a starting pose corresponding to a beginning of the time interval; determining, by the first processor, based at least in part on the starting pose, a set of criteria for identifying a possible raise gesture using the set of motion-sensor data samples; determining, by the first processor, a possible raise gesture based at least in part on whether the set of motion-sensor data samples satisfies the selected set of criteria; determining, by the first processor, a detected raise gesture in the event that the possible raise gesture is followed by at least a minimum period of dwell time in a focus pose; and notifying, by the first processor, another component of the device when a possible raise gesture is identified and when a detected raise gesture is identified.