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Published on: September 15, 2017
Effect of sitting or standing on touch screen performance and touch characteristics
Amrish O Chourasia1, Douglas A Wiegmann, Karen B Chen
1Department of Orthopedics, Trace Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2104 Engineering Centers Building, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Human Factors
|August 23, 2013
Summary
Standing negatively impacts touch screen performance, especially with smaller buttons, for individuals with and without motor-control disabilities. This posture increases touch force and impulse, affecting usability.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Ergonomics
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Touch screen design research has overlooked the impact of user posture (sitting vs. standing) on performance and touch characteristics.
- Understanding posture's effect is crucial for optimizing touch screen usability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how sitting versus standing postures affect touch screen task performance and touch characteristics.
- To compare these effects in individuals with and without motor-control disabilities.
Main Methods:
- A four-digit touch screen number entry task was performed by 30 participants (15 with motor-control disabilities, 15 without).
- Participants completed the task in both sitting and standing postures, with varying button sizes (10-30 mm) and gaps (3 mm, 5 mm).
Main Results:
- Standing resulted in more errors (misses) and longer task completion times, particularly with smaller buttons (< 20 mm).
- Performance was comparable between sitting and standing for larger button sizes.
- Increased misses, task time, and altered touch characteristics (force, impulse) were generally observed in the standing posture for both groups.
Conclusions:
- Standing posture significantly impairs touch screen performance on smaller targets (< 20 mm).
- Both individuals with and without motor-control disabilities exhibited increased force and impulse when standing.
- Environmental factors, such as posture, are critical for designing accessible and usable touch screen interfaces.
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