Skip to main content

A Study on the Usability of Typing Interface on Large-Screen Phones for Different Thumb Sizes

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Usability and User Experience (AHFE 2017)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 607))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 4267 Accesses

Abstract

Currently, the larger-screen phone has gradually replaced the small screen mobile phone that has been unable to meet the needs of long-term reading. However, there is hardly any one-handed use for actually touching the larger-screen, making one-handed operation (using the thumb operation) more difficult; in particular, users with short thumbs may suffer an uncomfortable experience in its use. The participants’ typing gestures were then observed when using their phones in a natural manner. Finally, the participants were asked use one thumb with extended, natural and bending gestures, respectively, to slide on a specified typing screen, and the sizes of these three sliding areas, named Stretch, Natural and OW, were measured to find the suitable typing area for different hand sizes. The results of this study found that the typing gestures could be classified into four types: One-Handed (15.6%), Two-Handed (68.8%), Hold & Tap, (6.3%) and Cradle (9.4%). Moreover, the Natural and OW areas for the larger and middle hands were both bigger than the one for the small hand, while there were no significant differences between the larger and middle hands. this indicated that the length of the thumb would affect the usability of the phone. These results can provide a reference for the interface designer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Fowler, G.A.: Find the best phone-screen size for you. Wall Street Journal, 26 March 2014. http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-find-the-phone-that-fits-your-hand-1395795606. Accessed 19 Nov 2016

  2. Fredriksson, K.: Laboratory work with automatic pipettes: a study on how pipetting affects the thumb. Ergonomics 38, 1067–1073 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Moore, J.S.: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 39, 990–1002 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jonsson, P., Johnson, P.W., Hagberg, M.: Accuracy and feasibility of using an electrogoniometer for measuring simple thumb movements. Ergonomics 5(50), 647–659 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hoober, S.: How do users really hold mobile devices? UXmatters, 18 February 2013. http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/02/how-do-users-really-hold-mobile-devices.php. Accessed 18 Nov 2016

  6. Hurff, S.: How to design for thumbs in the era of huge screens. Quartz, 19 September 2014. http://scotthurff.com/posts/how-to-design-for-thumbs-in-the-era-of-huge-screens. Accessed 22 Nov 2016

  7. Wang, M.J., Wang, M.Y., Lin, Y.C.: The Anthropometric database manual of Taiwan. Ergonomics Society of Taiwan, Taiwan, Taipei (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yamamoto, S.: Human interface and the management of information. In: 17th International Conference Information and Knowledge in Context, HCI International 2015, Los Angeles, CA, USA (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hoober, S.: Insights on switching, centering, and gestures for touchscreens. UXmatters, 2 September 2014. http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2014/09/insights-on-switching-centering-and-gestures-for-touchscreens.php. Accessed 17 Nov 2016

  10. Xiong, J., Muraki, S.: Effects of age, thumb length and screen size on thumb movement coverage on smartphone touchscreens. Int. J. Ind. Ergon. 53, 140–148 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ching-yi Wang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this paper

Cite this paper

Wang, Cy., Liu, PJ. (2018). A Study on the Usability of Typing Interface on Large-Screen Phones for Different Thumb Sizes. In: Ahram, T., FalcĂŁo, C. (eds) Advances in Usability and User Experience. AHFE 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 607. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60492-3_57

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60492-3_57

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-60491-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-60492-3

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics