Selection of Remotely Labeled Switch Functions During Dual Task Performance

Research was conducted to determine the optimal qualities of a controller to select menus on an interactive display. The menu selection controllers were an eight-position joystick, a 3x3 keyboard and a 2×4 keyboard. The experimental task involved subjects centering a cursor on a CRT display with a joystick while periodically engaged in a menu selection task with the left hand without observing the controllers. The study investigated type of controller and movement position effect on response time and positioning errors when selecting menus. The selection locations on the menu were all sequentially numbered. Results of this study indicate that mean response time did not vary across controllers used or movements performed. However, positioning errors using the joystick was found to be significantly higher than for the keyboards. Results indicate that of the equipment studied in these experiments the 3×3 keyboard should be used and menu positions should be in a sequential order.