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Evaluation of four cursor control devices during a target acquisition task for laparoscopic tool control
S R Herring1, A E Trejo, M S Hallbeck
1Innovative Design and Ergonomic Analysis Laboratory, Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
Applied Ergonomics
|May 12, 2009
Summary
New laparoscopic tools with trackball controls can improve surgeon comfort. A study comparing four input devices found the TouchPad and MicroJoystick to be the best candidates for powered laparoscopic tools.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Technology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Ergonomics
Background:
- Current laparoscopic instruments lead to surgeon fatigue and discomfort due to awkward postures.
- A novel laparoscopic tool features an articulating end-effector controlled by a trackball to mitigate these issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of four alternative input devices (TouchPad, Mouse Button Module, MiniJoystick Module, MicroJoystick) for a powered laparoscopic tool.
- To compare traditional performance metrics (throughput, error rate) with a non-traditional metric (target re-entry).
- To investigate the impact of user familiarity on device performance in the context of laparoscopic surgery.
Main Methods:
- A Fitts' law task was employed to assess device performance.
- Both subjective and objective measures were utilized for evaluation.
- Four control devices were compared: TouchPad, Mouse Button Module, MiniJoystick Module, and MicroJoystick.
Main Results:
- The TouchPad and MicroJoystick demonstrated superior performance and are identified as the most suitable candidates for the powered laparoscopic tool.
- The non-traditional measure of target re-entry proved effective in comparing control devices.
- User familiarity significantly influenced both subjective and objective device performance.
Conclusions:
- The TouchPad and MicroJoystick are recommended for integration into powered laparoscopic tools.
- The target re-entry metric offers valuable insights for control device comparison.
- Findings are applicable to the design of various hand-held devices requiring precise control.
