Using the Speed-Accuracy Operating Characteristic to Visualize Performance with Pointing Devices

Abstract

There is a nearly limitless variety of alternatives to the traditional computer mouse, including trackballs, trackpads, joysticks, head-mounted mouse emulators, and eye-gaze systems, each with its own unique strengths and limitations. Two key challenges in selecting the most appropriate pointing device are (1) collecting accurate, comparable data describing the client's performance with each device under consideration and (2) aggregating, analyzing and displaying the data in a format that allows the client, clinician and other interested parties to make an accurate decision. Tools exist for collecting data, but there has been limited research on how to visualize and compare performance data. The investigator has been exploring the use of the speed-accuracy operating characteristic (SAOC) as a means of comparing performance on computer pointing tasks between different pointing devices (e.g., mouse, trackball, touchpad). The SAOC is a graphical representation of the trade-off between speed and accuracy that has been used in a range of timed reaction tasks, including pointing tasks. The SAOC is easy for clinicians, clients and third-party payers to interpret, and provides an efficient means of summarizing and documenting performance but does not replace clinical judgement or eliminate the need for clinician-client interaction.

Assessment of wheelchair driving performance in a virtual reality-based simulator

“…Researchers have modeled this relationship in multiple contexts such as performing a two-dimensional computer access task, [29][30][31] three-dimensional navigation tasks in a VE 27,[32][33][34] and in real-world driving tasks. 35 The law provides a standardized framework that can be used to compare different input devices or different virtual-world setting.…”

Perception is rich and probabilistic

“…Participants rarely used the undo function (mean = 2% of trials), despite the constant reminders. Pointing-related error rates show a speed-accuracy trade-off 24 ; thus, a low-correction rate was to be expected given the non-speeded nature of the task. These undone bets were generally of greater error magnitude (mean error = 70°) and in-line with random clicking (chance error = 90°) compared to the bets that replaced them (mean = 16°), indicating that these were mis-clicks rather than true responses.…”

Perception is Rich and Probabilistic

“…Participants rarely used the undo function (mean = 2% of trials), despite the constant reminders. Pointing-related error rates show a speed-accuracy trade-off [24] ; thus, a low-correction rate was to be expected given the non-speeded nature of the task. These undone bets were generally of greater error magnitude error (mean = 70°) and in-line with random clicking (chance error = 90°) compared to the bets that replaced them (mean = 16°), indicating that these were mis-clicks rather than true responses.…”