Evaluating Swiftpoint as a Mobile Device for Direct Manipulation Input

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Computer Science
Degree name
Master of Science
Publisher
University of Canterbury. Computer Science and Software Engineering
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2006
Authors
Amer, Taher
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.

Description
Citation
Keywords
Pointing devices, Swiftpoint, Fitts' Law, Steering Law, ISO 9241-9 standard, User interface hardware, interaction techniques
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
Copyright Taher Amer