• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.175-184
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• 2016

Objective: In this study, two types of foot-controlled mouse devices are compared with a hand mouse in the input tasks requiring repetitively switching between a keyboard and a mouse. Background: Foot-controlled mouse devices have been developed for persons with impairments in the mobility of their hands. However, some researchers insisted that the foot-controlled mouse devices could be effectively used by the persons with no limits to their hand mobility. There are needs to investigate the efficiency of the foot-controlled mouse devices, when they are used by the nondisabled people. Method: Participants conducted the input tasks, requiring repetitive switches between a keyboard and a computer mouse. The used computer mouse devices were two types of foot-controlled mouse and a typical hand mouse. Participants performed three types of input task for five days and three types of task performance were measured; the number of completed input tasks within a given practice time, subjective satisfaction level and the time wasted for the mouse control. Results: For five days, the performance of input tasks sharply increased in input tasks by foot-controlled mouse devices rather than a hand mouse. After five days, the level of satisfaction on the foot-controlled mouse devices approached to about 76% of a hand mouse satisfaction level. The control time of the foot-controlled mouse devices also approached to about 109% of a hand mouse control time. Conclusion: After only five-day practice, the input task performance by foot-controlled mouse devices approached to that of a hand mouse. This result may suggest that the foot-controlled mouse devices can be effectively used as an alternative input device for the nondisabled people, if input tasks are easy and enough practice time is provided. Application: The results of this study might help to design foot-controlled mouse devices and to expend the usage of them.

• IE interfaces
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2004

The increased use of computers has introduced a variety kind of human-computer interfaces. Mouse is one of the useful interface tools to place the cursor on the desired position on the monitor. This paper suggested a foot controlled isotonic mouse which was similar to the ordinary hand-controlled mouse except that positioning was controlled by the right foot and the clicking was performed by the left foot. Experimental results showed that both the index of difficulty(IOD) and the display-control gain(DC gain) varied the total movement time in a target acquisition task on the monitor. The present authors also drew the optimal display-control gain of the foot-controlled isotonic mouse over the index of difficulty of 1.0 to 3.0. The optimal display-control gain, i. e., 0.256, could be used when designing a foot-controlled isotonic mouse.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.725-731
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate visual feedback effects and human performance in the foot mouse control. Background: Generally, computer mouse tasks are controlled by visual feedback. In order to understand the characteristics of a foot mouse control, it is important to investigate the patterns of visual feedback involved in foot-mouse control tasks. Human performance of foot mouse control is also an important factor to understand the foot mouse control. Method: Three types of mouse control were determined to investigate visual feedback effects and human performance in the foot mouse control. Visual feedback effects in the foot mouse control were compared with those of a typical hand mouse. The cursor movement speed and mental workload were measured in the three types of tasks and two types of mouses. Results: Mouse control tasks with an element of homing-in to the target were more quickly performed by the hand mouse than the foot mouse. Mental workload was also higher in the foot mouse than the hand mouse. However, in the steering movement, human performance of the foot mouse control was not lower than that of the hand mouse control. Visual feedback in the foot mouse control was less required than in the hand mouse control. Conclusion: The foot mouse was not efficient in the most mouse control tasks, compared to the hand mouse. However, the foot mouse was efficient in the steering movement, moving a cursor within a path with lateral constraints. Application: The results of this study might help to develop the foot mouse.