A usability comparison of input devices for precise and intuitive interaction with 3D visualizations

Abstract

The paper presents a user study comparing the performance and usability of different input devices for precise manipulation of 3D objects: a regular mouse, a 3D mouse, and the gesture-based Leap Motion Controller. We show that the 3D mouse is well suited for the task, as it yielded the lowest rotation error rate and best overall usability, while tasks were completed as fast with the 3D mouse as with the regular mouse interface. The 3D mouse got an average System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 88.7, the regular mouse 72.4, while the Leap Motion Controller was barely suitable for the task with an average SUS score of 56.5. The study showed that users needed the most time to finish the tasks with the Leap Motion Controller and that its gestures were not as easy to learn as with the 3D mouse. This led us to conclude that the 3D mouse is currently the best input choice among the tested devices for 3D tasks that require both high precision, quick completion and a fast learning curve.