Comparing a Scanning Ambiguous Keyboard to the On-screen QWERTY Keyboard

This paper explores text entry on a scanning ambiguous keyboard (SAK) and the Windows on-screen keyboard (OSK) operating in scanning mode. The SPACEBAR was used for physical input with both keyboards. Testing involved 12 participants entering five phrases of text with each keyboard. On entry speed, the means were 5.06 wpm for the SAK and 2.67 wpm for the OSK, thus revealing a significant speed advantage for the SAK. However, the character-level error rate of 13.3% for the SAK was significantly higher than the error rate of 2.4% for the OSK. On subjective preference, 7 of 12 participants preferred the Windows OSK over the SAK, citing familiarity with the QWERTY layout as the most common reason. However, participants appreciated the efficiency of the SAK keyboard. A limitation of the results is the small amount of text entered.

Content

Author and article information

Contributors

Chris T. Waddington

I. Scott MacKenzie

Janet C. Read

Matthew Horton

Conference

Publication date: July 2017

Publication date (Print): July 2017

Pages: 1-6

Affiliations

[0001]University of Central Lancashire

Preston UK PR1 2HE

[0002]York University

Toronto Canada M3J 1P3

Article

DOI: 10.14236/ewic/HCI2017.103

SO-VID: c556794b-220b-40fd-8db9-4dde58d6a6ed

License:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Conference name: Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2017)

Conference acronym: EVA

Conference number:

Conference location: London, UK

Conference date: 11 – 13 July 2017

Conference sponsor: Electronic Workshops in Computing (eWiC)

Conference theme: Electronic Visualisation and the Arts

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1477-9358 BCS Learning & Development

Self URI (article page): https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/HCI2017.103

Self URI (journal page): https://ewic.bcs.org/

REFERENCES

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D. AnsonP. MoistM. PrzywaraH. WellsH. SaylorH. Maxime 2006 The effects of word completion and word prediction on typing rates using on-screen keyboards Assistive Technology 18 146 154
B. AshtianiI. S. MacKenzie 2010 BlinkWrite2: An improved text entry method using eye blinks Proc ETRA 2010, 339 345 ACM New York
N. Baker 2010 Why do we all use Qwerty keyboards? 18/7/2016 Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10925456
X. BiB. A. SmithS. Zhai 2012 Multilingual touchscreen keyboard design and optimization Human-Computer Interaction 27 352 382
O. Ciobanu 2014 An evaluation of the ergonomics of the QWERTY keyboards Applied Mechanics and Materials 657 1051 1055
G. Conderman 2015 Assistive technologies: A lifeline for learning Kappa Delta Pi Record 51 173 178
P. A. David 1985 Clio and the economics of QWERTY The American Economic Review 72 332 337
M. Dell’AmicoJ. C. D. DíazM. loriR. Montanari 2009 The single-finger keyboard layout problem Computers & Operations Research 36 3002 3012
G. EvansP. Blenkhorn 2003 Architectures of assistive software applications for Windows-based computers J Network and Computer Applications 26 213 228
I. S. MacKenzie 2009 The one-key challenge: Searching for a fast one-key text entry method Proc ASSETS 2009, 91 98 ACM New York
I. S. MacKenzie 2012 Modeling text input for single-switch scanning Proc ICCHP 2012, 423 430 Springer Berlin
I. S. MacKenzieB. Ashtiani 2011 BlinkWrite: Efficient text entry using eye blinks UAIS 10 69 80
I. S. MacKenzieT. Felzer 2010 SAK: Scanning ambiguous keyboard for efficient one-key text entry ACM Trans Computer-Human Interaction 17 11:1 11:39
I. S. MacKenzieS. X. Zhang 1999 The design and evaluation of a high performance soft keyboard Proc CHI '99, 25 31 ACM New York
I. S. MacKenzieS. X. ZhangR. W. Soukoreff 1999 Text entry using soft keyboards Behaviour & Information Technology 18 235 244
E. MatiasI. S. MacKenzieW. Buxton 1993 Half-QWERTY: A one-handed keyboard facilitating skill transfer from QWERTY Proc INTERCHI '93, 88 94 ACM New York
L. MayaudS. FilipeL. PétégniefO. RochecousteM. Congedo 2013 Robust brain-computer interface for virtual keyboard (RoBIK): Project results IRBM 34 131
J. D. R. MillánR. RuppG. R. Müller-PutzR. Murray-SmithC. GiugliemmaM. TangermannC. VidaurreF. CincottiA. KüblerR. LeebC. NeuperK.-R. MüllerD. Mattia 2010 Combining brain-computer interfaces and assistive technologies: State-of-the-art and challenges Frontiers in Neuroscience 4 161
O. PoláčekZ. MíkovecA. J. SporkaP. Slavik 2011 Humsher: A predictive keyboard operated by humming Proc ASSETS 2011, 75 82 ACM New York
M. Porta 2015 A study on text entry methods based on eye gestures J Assistive Technologies 9 48
S. PouplinJ. RobertsonJ. AntoineA. BlanchetJ. Loup KahlounP. VolleJ. BouteilleF. LofasoD. Bensmail 2014 Effect of dynamic keyboard and word-prediction systems on text input speed in persons with functional tetraplegia J Rehabilitation Research & Development 51 467 479
S. J. Purewal 2015 Why should you try an alternative keyboard layout Available at: http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/why-you-should-try-an-alternative-keyboard-layout/ 25/7/2016
D. Rempel 2008 The split keyboard: An ergonomics success story Human Factors 50 385 392
T. Revell 2017 Microsoft app helps people with ALS speak using their eyes Available at: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2121579-microsoft-app-helps-people-with-als-speak-using-just-their-eyes 18/2/2017
C.-T. ShihC.-H. ShihC.-H. Luo 2011 Development of a computer assistive input device through a commercial numerical keyboard by position coding technology for people with disabilities Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 6 169 175
D. Tenebaum 1996 Dvorak keyboards: The typist's long-lost friend Technology Review 99 21
D. E. ThompsonJ. J. BakerW. A. SarnackiJ. E. Huggins 2009 Plug-and-play brain-computer interface keyboard performance Proc NER 2009, 433 IEEE New York
S. ZhaiM. HunterB. A. Smith 2002 Performance optimization of virtual keyboards Human-Computer Interaction 17 229 269

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] A. M. AndersonG. A. MirkaS. M. B. JoinesD. B. Kaber 2009 Analysis of alternative keyboards using learning curves Human Factors 51 35 45

[2] D. AnsonP. MoistM. PrzywaraH. WellsH. SaylorH. Maxime 2006 The effects of word completion and word prediction on typing rates using on-screen keyboards Assistive Technology 18 146 154

[3] B. AshtianiI. S. MacKenzie 2010 BlinkWrite2: An improved text entry method using eye blinks Proc ETRA 2010, 339 345 ACM New York

[4] N. Baker 2010 Why do we all use Qwerty keyboards? 18/7/2016 Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10925456

[5] X. BiB. A. SmithS. Zhai 2012 Multilingual touchscreen keyboard design and optimization Human-Computer Interaction 27 352 382

[6] O. Ciobanu 2014 An evaluation of the ergonomics of the QWERTY keyboards Applied Mechanics and Materials 657 1051 1055

[7] G. Conderman 2015 Assistive technologies: A lifeline for learning Kappa Delta Pi Record 51 173 178

[8] P. A. David 1985 Clio and the economics of QWERTY The American Economic Review 72 332 337

[9] M. Dell’AmicoJ. C. D. DíazM. loriR. Montanari 2009 The single-finger keyboard layout problem Computers & Operations Research 36 3002 3012

[10] G. EvansP. Blenkhorn 2003 Architectures of assistive software applications for Windows-based computers J Network and Computer Applications 26 213 228

[11] I. S. MacKenzie 2009 The one-key challenge: Searching for a fast one-key text entry method Proc ASSETS 2009, 91 98 ACM New York

[12] I. S. MacKenzie 2012 Modeling text input for single-switch scanning Proc ICCHP 2012, 423 430 Springer Berlin

[13] I. S. MacKenzieB. Ashtiani 2011 BlinkWrite: Efficient text entry using eye blinks UAIS 10 69 80

[14] I. S. MacKenzieT. Felzer 2010 SAK: Scanning ambiguous keyboard for efficient one-key text entry ACM Trans Computer-Human Interaction 17 11:1 11:39

[15] I. S. MacKenzieS. X. Zhang 1999 The design and evaluation of a high performance soft keyboard Proc CHI '99, 25 31 ACM New York

[16] I. S. MacKenzieS. X. ZhangR. W. Soukoreff 1999 Text entry using soft keyboards Behaviour & Information Technology 18 235 244

[17] E. MatiasI. S. MacKenzieW. Buxton 1993 Half-QWERTY: A one-handed keyboard facilitating skill transfer from QWERTY Proc INTERCHI '93, 88 94 ACM New York

[18] L. MayaudS. FilipeL. PétégniefO. RochecousteM. Congedo 2013 Robust brain-computer interface for virtual keyboard (RoBIK): Project results IRBM 34 131

[19] J. D. R. MillánR. RuppG. R. Müller-PutzR. Murray-SmithC. GiugliemmaM. TangermannC. VidaurreF. CincottiA. KüblerR. LeebC. NeuperK.-R. MüllerD. Mattia 2010 Combining brain-computer interfaces and assistive technologies: State-of-the-art and challenges Frontiers in Neuroscience 4 161

[20] O. PoláčekZ. MíkovecA. J. SporkaP. Slavik 2011 Humsher: A predictive keyboard operated by humming Proc ASSETS 2011, 75 82 ACM New York

[21] M. Porta 2015 A study on text entry methods based on eye gestures J Assistive Technologies 9 48

[22] S. PouplinJ. RobertsonJ. AntoineA. BlanchetJ. Loup KahlounP. VolleJ. BouteilleF. LofasoD. Bensmail 2014 Effect of dynamic keyboard and word-prediction systems on text input speed in persons with functional tetraplegia J Rehabilitation Research & Development 51 467 479

[23] S. J. Purewal 2015 Why should you try an alternative keyboard layout Available at: http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/why-you-should-try-an-alternative-keyboard-layout/ 25/7/2016

[24] D. Rempel 2008 The split keyboard: An ergonomics success story Human Factors 50 385 392

[25] T. Revell 2017 Microsoft app helps people with ALS speak using their eyes Available at: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2121579-microsoft-app-helps-people-with-als-speak-using-just-their-eyes 18/2/2017

[26] C.-T. ShihC.-H. ShihC.-H. Luo 2011 Development of a computer assistive input device through a commercial numerical keyboard by position coding technology for people with disabilities Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 6 169 175

[27] D. Tenebaum 1996 Dvorak keyboards: The typist's long-lost friend Technology Review 99 21

[28] D. E. ThompsonJ. J. BakerW. A. SarnackiJ. E. Huggins 2009 Plug-and-play brain-computer interface keyboard performance Proc NER 2009, 433 IEEE New York

[29] S. ZhaiM. HunterB. A. Smith 2002 Performance optimization of virtual keyboards Human-Computer Interaction 17 229 269

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