Haptic-Assisted Target Acquisition in a Visual Point-and-Click Task for Computer Users with Motion Impairments

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Assistive Technology
• Robotics and Control Systems

Background:

• Haptic assistance uses force feedback to aid human-computer interaction (HCI).
• Previous 2 Degree of Freedom (DOF) haptic techniques for motion-impaired users had limitations.
• Existing methods like gravity wells and high-friction targets hindered progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce two novel 3 DOF haptic-assistive techniques: haptic cones and V-shaped funnels.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of these new techniques for motion-impaired computer users.
• To compare performance against unassisted interfaces and traditional haptic methods.

Main Methods:

• Conducted point-and-click experiments using the Phantom Omni device.
• Performed parallel cursor analysis to quantify performance levels.
• Assessed task completion for typing a predefined sentence on an on-screen keyboard.

Main Results:

• Haptic cones demonstrated significant improvements compared to unassisted interaction.
• Achieved a 53% mean improvement in reducing missed clicks.
• Showcased a 145% improvement in user throughput.

Conclusions:

• Less constricting haptic assistance techniques can yield higher performance levels.
• The novel haptic cones and V-shaped funnels overcome drawbacks of traditional methods.
• Haptic cones offer a promising approach for enhancing HCI for users with motor impairments.