Using Fitts's law for evaluating Tongue Drive System as a pointing device for computer access

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Assistive Technology
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• The Tongue Drive System (TDS) offers a potential hands-free control method for individuals with severe motor impairments, such as tetraplegia.
• Evaluating the performance of novel assistive technologies against established interfaces is crucial for understanding their practical utility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the performance of the Tongue Drive System (TDS) using a 2-D center-out task within a Fitts's Law experiment.
• To establish a performance baseline for the TDS by comparing it with standard mouse and keypad input methods.

Main Methods:

• A Fitts's Law experiment was conducted with 6 able-bodied participants over 3 consecutive days.
• Participants performed a 2-D center-out task using the TDS, a standard computer mouse, and a standard keypad.
• Average throughput (bit/s) was calculated for each input method.

Main Results:

• The average throughput for the Tongue Drive System (TDS) was 1.67 bit/s.
• The standard keypad achieved an average throughput of 2.17 bit/s.
• The standard mouse demonstrated the highest average throughput at 3.99 bit/s.

Conclusions:

• The Tongue Drive System (TDS) demonstrated lower performance compared to traditional mouse and keypad interfaces in this Fitts's Law task.
• While the TDS shows promise as an assistive technology, further development is required to enhance its efficiency and usability for individuals with tetraplegia.