A new perspective on the data entry problem
for mobile devices
Problem:Data entry to mobile handheld devices is slow and cumbersome. Everything from typing text messages on a cell phone or tiny QWERTY keyboard, to using a pen type input takes a lot more time than typing on a full keyboard. Question:How do we make data entry on a mobile handheld device quicker and easier, while still being able to interact with the software in a familiar way? |
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MQK A:
By using visual feedback (onscreen from software) to facilitate the users interaction with the hardware and tap into muscle memory developed through use of the standard keyboard. By engaging all of the user's digits rather than just the thumbs or just a pen type input.
Here is how it works:
Below is a quick sketch of a cell phone (very much like the one in my pocket) except that it has buttons on the back for the fingers to land on as it is held between the palms. Also not standard are two thumb pads (in the sketch they look like an old video game controller direction pad) that can be any configuration as long as they allow the directional input of up, down, and in (towards center)
On screen you see the keyboard at the bottom, with the "home row" hi lighted. The highlighted area corresponds to the state of thumb input, and dictates what letters the finger keys will type. In the illustration above the left first finger key would type an "F".
In this sketch I expanded the visual of the screen so that you can clearly see how the thumb input changes the highlighting on-screen. Also like the first example we are using the left index finger button on the back to finish the chord and type the letter.
So think of a letter you want to type, where is it in relation to the home row?
Want to type an "e" the most common letter in the english language? Press and hold up with your left thumb and your left middle finger button will now type an "e". Want to type an "n"? In typing we were taught to move our right middle finger down and in, so pressing down and in with your right thumb will make the key under your left index finger type an "n".