The Influence of Input Method and Chinese Character Complexity on the Elderly Using Smartphones to Input Information – A Study from China

Abstract

The usage of smartphones holds paramount importance in enhancing the ability of elderly people to live independently. This research aims to explore the various scenarios in which Chinese elderly people employ smartphones for information input, and how input method and Chinese character complexity affect their information input process. To achieve this, we conducted semi-structured interviews to investigate typical situations where Chinese elderly individuals use smartphones to input information. Based on the survey results, we devised an experiment to assess the impact of the input method and Chinese character complexity on the elderly’s objective physical load, mental load, input performance, and subjective experience during the inputting process. The findings revealed that the choice of input method significantly affects the objective physical load. Distinct input method engaged different major muscle groups during the process. As the Chinese character complexity increased, the elderly’s input performance declined, with handwriting input being particularly affected. Thus, we proposed enhancing the current handwriting interface by allowing users to input complex Chinese characters through handwritten pinyin, and simplify the start steps of the handwriting function based on the pinyin input interface. This study contributes to the development of evidence-based guidelines for the aging design of smart mobile devices, thus enhancing the elderly’s overall experience in using such technology.