Evaluating Swiftpoint as a Mobile Device for Direct Manipulation Input

Abstract

Swiftpoint is a promising new computer pointing device that is designed primarily for mobile computer users in constrained space. Swiftpoint has many advantages over current pointing devices: it is small, ergonomic, has a digital ink mode, and can be used over a flat keyboard. This thesis aids the development of Swiftpoint by formally evaluating it against two of the most common pointing devices with today's mobile computers: the touchpad, and mouse. Two laws commonly used with pointing devices evaluations, Fitts' Law and the Steering Law, were used to evaluate Swiftpoint. Results showed that Swiftpoint was faster and more accurate than the touchpad. The performance of the mouse was however, superior to both the touchpad and Swiftpoint. Experimental results were reflected in participants' choice for the mouse as their preferred pointing device. However, some participants indicated that their choice was based on their familiarity with the mouse. None of the participants chose the touchpad as their preferred device.