Direct Intentions: The Effects of Input Devices on Collaboration around a Tabletop Display

  • Authors:
  • Vicki Ha;Kori M. Inkpen;Tara Whalen;Regan L. Mandryk

  • Affiliations:
  • Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada;Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada;Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada;Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

  • Venue:
  • TABLETOP '06 Proceedings of the First IEEE International Workshop on Horizontal Interactive Human-Computer Systems
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

This paper explores users' interpersonal interactions during collaboration around a tabletop display, in order to better understand the affordances offered by this medium. We investigate participants' collaborative interactions, particularly related to the type of input device provided. Stylus, mouse, and touch-based interactions were provided to allow multiple people to simultaneously interact with tabletop systems in a series of studies, and we observed how the choice of direct or indirect input device affected collaboration. In this paper we discuss how direct and indirect input affect natural interactions, ergonomics, territoriality, gestures, and awareness of both intention and action. The findings from our studies are valuable for those who deploy and design tabletop systems, by providing them with guidelines for appropriate choice of input device.