Automatic Adjustment of Mouse Settings to Improve Pointing Performance

Abstract

This article describes the development and evaluation of a software tool for the automatic configuration of mice and other pointing devices. The software is intended to accommodate the needs of people with physical impairments, with a goal of improved productivity and comfort during computer use. We successfully built prototype software that monitors user activity during performance of regular computer tasks and recommends appropriate Windows mouse settings to meet the user’s specific needs. Twelve individuals with upper extremity impairments participated in an evaluation study. On average, the recommended settings significantly improved pointing performance for this subject group. The effect on trial time, entries, and error-free trials was significant at the 0.05 level. Trial time showed the strongest effect, improving by 29.3% with the settings recommended by our software. These results suggest that our software can successfully determine the appropriate mouse settings for an individual, yielding significant improvements in pointing performance.

Keywords:

• assistive technology
• accessibility
• computer access
• evaluation study
• mouse
• physical impairment