Effects of pen design on drawing and writing performance

Abstract

Two experiments are reported with the aim of determining the effect of pen shape and size on two different types of task: drawing and writing. Experiment 1 attempted to determine the optimum shape and size of shank for ball-point pens used to perform an accurate drawing task. Twenty-seven participants used a total of nine different pens. Drawing performance was measured by having the subjects follow mazes of different size. The dependent variables were drawing movement time and drawing accuracy. The results indicate that the pen with an equivalent diameter of 8 mm had the best accuracy during drawing, even though it had the lowest speed. The results confirm the applicability and validity of the Drury tracking model for such a task. Even though users tended to prefer larger pens, their accuracy with such pens tended to be low.In a second experiment subjects performed a writing task (with no accuracy constraints) and rated their preference for types of pen. An attempt was made to determine the preferred dimensions of ball-point pens for writing in Chinese and English. A total of 36 "bare-bodied" pens and 20 Chinese subjects were used to evaluate the effects of shape, size and weight on time to write a sentence. The Writing ability, Comfort and an Overall rating were given by the subjects. The results indicate that the Chinese subjects preferred a circular shaped pen for writing in both languages. A factor analysis showed that speed, comfort and writing ability are independent parameters in pen evaluations.

Open-loop and feedback-controlled mouse cursor movements in linear paths

“…Further, movements in curved and irregular paths (Montazer et al 1988;Goonetilleke et al 2009) have also been investigated where movement direction changes. The changes in movement time have been attributed to the changes in muscle groups used, as movement angle is varied.…”

Dynamic signatures: A review of dynamic feature variation and forensic methodology

“…Goonetilleke et al [122] state that writing speed is not affected by pen shape, but accuracy is highest when using slim, circular pens. With the rise of Smartphones and mobile devices, signing with fingers is expected to become more common.…”

Targeted-Tracking With Pointing Devices

“…The pen mouse is elliptical in cross section shape and has dimensions of 21 mm × 16.3 mm. Researchers [40] have shown that accuracy of a tracking task is best when a circular probe is used having a diameter of about 8 mm. In contrast, the stylus of the tablet has a circular cross section and a diameter of 12.2 mm, closer to the optimum values for minimum tracking error.…”