Reference Information
Performance Optimizations of Virtual Keyboards for Stroke-Based Text Entry on a Touch-Based Tabletop
- Jochen Rick
- UIST 2010, New York, New York
Performance Optimizations of Virtual Keyboards for Stroke-Based Text Entry on a Touch-Based Tabletop
- Jochen Rick
- UIST 2010, New York, New York
Summary
This paper explained a more efficient way of typing on touch-based devices. Touch-based devices use virtual keyboards, so it would be quite easy to switch to a different keyboard layout. There are quite a few different keyboard layouts available, and Rick goes over these in great detail. But his main point was not only to address the keyboard layout but to also address the inefficiencies of tapping keys like most are used to.
This paper explained a more efficient way of typing on touch-based devices. Touch-based devices use virtual keyboards, so it would be quite easy to switch to a different keyboard layout. There are quite a few different keyboard layouts available, and Rick goes over these in great detail. But his main point was not only to address the keyboard layout but to also address the inefficiencies of tapping keys like most are used to.
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| An example of how the strokes were analyzed. |
Original studies were for touch-based tabletop systems. But, further studies are planned to test the various methods on handheld devices such as the iPod Touch and iPhone interface. While various keyboard layouts have been available for quite some time, Rick understands the resistance to make the switch to possibly more efficient layouts. However, he concludes that stroke-based typing with OPTI II is predicted to be over 50% faster than using tapping with the standard Qwerty layout. He hopes this might be a big enough incentive for users to venture into different systems of typing on touch-based devices.
Discussion
While I didn’t care for reading about all the math equations behind the work, it was interesting to hear about Fitt’s Law after it being part of the reading for HCI Remixed. It seems to be a very important law in HCI research, and it’s cool to see it as a big part of such an in depth study.
While I didn’t care for reading about all the math equations behind the work, it was interesting to hear about Fitt’s Law after it being part of the reading for HCI Remixed. It seems to be a very important law in HCI research, and it’s cool to see it as a big part of such an in depth study.
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| The various keyboard layouts discussed in the article. |
Typing by tapping on touch devices is not too difficult, but it never quite feels like a normal keyboard. I know where the keys are supposed to be, yet I never feel like I could type nearly as fast as on a physical keyboard. For this reason alone, I hope stroke-based methods with alternate keyboard layouts are made more available to the public. This is a really novel idea, and it deserves to at least be attempted in a widespread manner.
I agree with you on the detail of the math. I'm pretty sure the swipe method has been implemented on Android phone before or when this paper was published (see 'swype' method). I became aware of this when my friend showed it to me on his Samsung Captivate this past summer; and that's used the QWERTY keyboard. I do commend them for using different styles of keyboards but I think it would be difficult to get users to switch as we've found a lot of success using the current version.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a touch device, but when I do use one, even with a qwerty keyboard I don't know here the buttons are. I am used to my homerow and when I don't have it I am back to square one. So I would agree with the article that it would be fairly easy to switch over to a new keyboard type.
ReplyDeleteI guess it just depends on what kind of device you are using the application. For example when using smart phones... I think their size and innovations provide room for trying a new layout of keyboard. I've gone from the regular three letter per key, to two letters, to touch QWERTY layout and in each transition it was a bit difficult to get used to it, but not impossible. I would be willing to try a new layout at least in my phone... for a computer, I'm not so sure.
ReplyDeleteWhile it may be difficult to get users to switch from the QWERTY design, since stroke-based input is specifically for the virtual world it shouldn't matter. Users would be able to use QWERTY, Dvorak, OPTI II, or any other keyboard layout they desired.
ReplyDelete