A Comparison of Touch, Manual, and Head Controllers for Cursor Movement

Abstract

Three different cursor control techniques were used by subjects in a target designation and assignment task. A touch control, a manual control, and a head control technique were investigated. Subjects designated and assigned either individual targets or target groups displayed on a tactical situation format. Speed and accuracy data were collected to determine which of the techniques provided the pilot with the best performance. Results indicated that the touch screen controller allowed for the best performance. Designating groups of targets also resulted in faster times when compared with designating individual targets. These findings are consistent with the results from previous studies and have a significant bearing on the design and implementation of subsystem control mechanisms used in single-seat and multi-crew civilian and military aircraft.