Touchscreen usability in microgravity

Abstract

Touchsemen technology is well-suited for extreme environments, for example, rniemgravity. However, the usability of touchscreens has not been tested in this environment. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory (HFEL) at the NASA Johnson Space Center has conducted three evaluations of touchscreen usability both in a simulated weightless environment and on a space shuttle mission. Preliminary findings suggest that touchscmens were preferred for those tasks with larger touch areas, but not for precise positioning. Not anticipated though was the hand fatigue ex~enced by astronauts. Complete results will be available,