The use of auditory feedback in the design of touch-input devices

In workspaces with complex displays and controls, and limited space in which to mount them, the use of touchscreen displays as input devices offers significant advantages. To overcome the lack of tactile feedback on touchscreen input devices, auditory feedback has been suggested. This paper examines the results of an experiment looking at the effect of auditory feedback on typing performance. While error rates were not affected by the feedback, the addition of auditory feedback to a typing task did improve typing speeds under all tested conditions. This indicates that the addition of auditory feedback to touchscreen input devices provides a measurable benefit and should be considered, where possible.