Input actions are physically coupled with the user-perceivable entity being manipulated (such as an image on a display). To the user, this appears as if there is no mediation, translation, or adaptation between input and output. Physical coupling can be achieved when the feedback spatially coincides with the input action, or at a distance if the user is manipulating a 3-D ray (such as with a laser pointer) that intersects directly with the entity being manipulated.
Published in Chapter:
The Design Space of Ubiquitous Mobile Input
Rafael Ballagas (RWTH Aachen University, Germany), Michael Rohs (Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, Germany), Jennifer G. Sheridan (BigDog Interactive Ltd., UK), and Jan Borchers (RWTH Aachen University, Germany)
Copyright: © 2008
|Pages: 22
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59904-871-0.ch024
Abstract
The mobile phone is the first truly pervasive computer. In addition to its core communications functionality, it is increasingly used for interaction with the physical world. This chapter examines the design space of input techniques using established desktop taxonomies and design spaces to provide an indepth discussion of existing interaction techniques. A new five-part spatial classification is proposed for ubiquitous mobile phone interaction tasks discussed in our survey. It includes supported subtasks (position, orient, and selection), dimensionality, relative vs. absolute movement, interaction style (direct vs. indirect), and feedback from the environment (continuous vs. discrete). Key design considerations are identified for deploying these interaction techniques in real-world applications. Our analysis aims to inspire and inform the design of future smart phone interaction techniques.