Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Rapid Cursor-Positioning Movements with Electromechanical Mice in Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

This research examines how people make movements with pointing devices during human-computer interaction. It specifically concerns the perceptual-motor processes that mediate the speed and accuracy of cursor positioning with electromechanical mice. In three experiments we investigated the spatial and temporal characteristics of positioning movements made with a mouse, analyzing subjects' speed and accuracy as a function of the types of targets that the movements had to reach. Experiment 1 required rapid and accurate horizontal movements to targets that were vertical ribbons located at various distances from the mouse's starting location. The targets for Experiments 2 and 3, respectively, were vertical lines having various heights and rectangular boxes having various heights and widths. Constraints on movement distance along the primary (that is, horizontal) line of motion had the greatest effects on total positioning times. However, constraints on movement distance along a secondary (vertical) line of motion also affected total positioning times significantly. These effects may be localized in different phases of movements (e.g., movement execution and verification). The duration of movement execution (i.e., physical motion) depends primarily on the target distance, whereas the duration of movement verification (i.e., check for endpoint accuracy) depends primarily on target height and width. A useful account of movement execution is provided by stochastic optimized-submovement models, which have significant implications for designing mice and menu-driven displays.

A program for parsing mouse movements into component submovements

“…During the last few years, the use of computer mice to collect movement control data has increased (see, e.g., Baccino & Pynte, 1994;Walker, Meyer, & Smelcer, 1993). This is partly due to recent articles about the underlying structure of the data stream that researchers gather with computer mice and software (e.g., Crosbie, 1990).…”

“…Changes may be needed if the mouse samples at a different rate or the pixel size is different, but we have found the program to be usable for data collected using different mouse drivers (two versions of Microsoft up to Version 9.01 and one version of Logitech drivers) and different sampling rates. In our previous work, we have primarily used a Microsoft bus allowing us to sample at 200 Hz (Walker et al, 1993), but we have also tested the parser program on data collected at lower sampling rates. The programs can be adjusted to allow different sampling rates to be used (as with the data from a serial port mouse).…”

Cursor Control Device Characteristics

“…There has only been a limited application of kinematic techniques to address the underlying nature of cursor positioning movements using a restricted number of cursor control devices. Walker, Meyer and Smelcer (1993) examined the number of submovements required when a Mouse was used to move a cursor over different distances to rectangular targets of varying horizontal and vertical dimensions. Walker et al found the number of submovements increased when movements were made to targets requiring greater precision.…”

“…Since direction of motion has been observed to affect positioning time (Trankle & Deutschmann, 1991), we compared leftwards diagonal, vertical and rightwards diagonal movements. As geometrical factors have had an impact upon cursor positioning times (Walker et al, 1993), AJIS vol. 7, no 2 May 2000 circular targets were used to control target approach angle.…”

InputLogger: General-purpose logging of keyboard and mouse events on an Apple Macintosh

“…Timing and/or log information is used in many research areas, including evaluating the usability of different pointing devices (Kabbash, I. MacKenzie, & Buxton, 1993;S. MacKenzie, Sellen, & Buxton, 1991;Riviere & Thakor, 1996), the evaluation of keyboard designs (Smutz, Serina, & Rempel, 1994), investigating theories of human movement control (Gillan, Holden, Adam, Rudisill, & Magee, 1990;Walker, Meyer, & Smelcer, 1993), looking at individual differences in typing characteristics (Leggett, Williams, Usnick, & Longnecker, 1991), and evaluation of application programs and their interfaces (Brewster, Wright, & Edwards, 1994;Roberts & Moran, 1983).…”