Researchers have suggested that attention is a key moderating variable predicting performance with an input device [Greenstein and Arnaut 1988], although the attention demands of devices have not been directly investigated. We hypothesized that the attentional demands of input devices are intricately linked to whether the device matches the input requirements of the on-screen task. Further, matching task and device should be more important for attentionally reduced groups, such as older adults. Younger and older adults used either a direct (touch screen) or indirect (rotary encoder) input device to perform matched or mismatched input tasks under a spectrum of attention allocation conditions. Input devices required attention—more so for older adults, especially in a mismatch situation. In addition, task performance was influenced by the match between task demands and input device characteristics. Though both groups benefited from a match between input device and task input requirements, older adults benefited more, and this benefit increased as less attention was available. We offer an a priori method to choose an input device for a task by considering the overlap between device attributes and input requirements. This data should affect design decisions concerning input device selection across age groups and task contexts.

中文翻译：

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使用直接和间接输入设备

研究人员认为，注意力是预测输入设备性能的关键调节变量 [Greenstein and Arnaut 1988]，尽管尚未直接研究设备的注意力需求。我们假设输入设备的注意力需求与设备是否符合屏幕上任务的输入要求有着错综复杂的联系。此外，匹配任务和设备对于注意力不集中的群体（例如老年人）应该更为重要。年轻人和老年人使用直接（触摸屏）或间接（旋转编码器）输入设备在一系列注意力分配条件下执行匹配或不匹配的输入任务。输入设备需要注意——对于老年人来说更是如此，尤其是在不匹配的情况下。此外，任务绩效受任务需求和输入设备特性匹配的影响。尽管两组都受益于输入设备和任务输入要求之间的匹配，但老年人受益更多，而且随着注意力的减少，这种好处也增加了。我们提供一个先验通过考虑设备属性和输入要求之间的重叠来为任务选择输入设备的方法。该数据应影响有关跨年龄组和任务上下文的输入设备选择的设计决策。