Investigating how the hand interacts with different mobile phones

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the physical interaction between the hand and three types of mobile device interaction: touchscreen, physical keyboard and stylus. Through a controlled study using video observational analysis, we observed firstly, how the participants gripped the three devices and how these grips were device dependent. Secondly we looked closely at these grips to uncover how participants performed what we call micro-movements to facilitate a greater range of interaction, e.g. reaching across the keyboard. The results extend current knowledge by comparing three handheld device input methods and observing the movements, which the hand makes in five grips. The paper concludes by describing the development of a conceptual design, proposed as a provocation for the opening of dialogue on how we conceive hand usage and how it might be optimized when designed for mobile devices.