A Comparison of Three Pointing Devices: Mouse,Cursor Keys,and a Keyboard-Integrated Pushbutton

The IBM Design Center in Boca Raton studied an integrated pointing device for a personal computer keyboard. The device, a pushbutton, is a flat, round button that tilts and moves the cursor in the direction of tilt. We wanted to know if this device would be acceptable to computer users. Twelve participants used the pushbutton, a mouse, and the cursor movement keys to select targets and edit text. Participants without previous mouse experience hit significantly more targets with the pushbutton than with the mouse. Participants with previous mouse experience performed significantly better on both tasks with the mouse, and preferred the mouse over the pushbutton and the cursor keys. Several participants said that the pushbutton was too sensitive and difficult to control. The results suggest: 1. The pushbutton tested in this study would not be acceptable to users; 2. The pushbutton operation could be more accurate if the force-to-motion mapping were improved.