An Evaluation of Input Devices and Menu Systems for Remote Workstations
Abstract
It is likely that the future air fleet will include uninhabited air vehicles (UAVs) that can be controlled by an operator in a remote location. Such a system will require the operator to experience the same view as the onboard camera to maintain control and keep track of the uninhabited vehicle. It should be borne in mind that uninhabited vehicles are not likely to be continuously operational but deployed only when necessary. The interface must therefore be intuitive, as long periods of time could elapse between missions. The training needs of the operator should therefore be less intensive than those currently necessary for the manned aircraft fleet. As missions may employ a semi-autonomous mode of operation, there is a requirement for transparency between the system and the operator inputs. This paper reports an investigation of the utility of three Windows-driven menu systems and four input devices. Performance with a touchscreen, touchpad, keyboard and mouse was compared on a waypoint re-routing task. It was anticipated that the innovative touchscreen would enhance performance when compared to the more conventional input methods of keyboard or mouse. The literature suggested that performance with the touchpad would not be optimal. The experiment was run in three phases, each phase using a different menu structure. Pull-down menus, pop-up menus and horizontal menus were included. The results show that in this type of scenario, less emphasis should be placed on the menu system to be used than the input device, although pop-up menus may be less desirable. The mouse and the touchscreen provide performance advantages in comparison to the keyboard and the touchpad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADP010326
Entities
People
- C. Mccrerie
- C. Miles
- J. White