Slider-based Foot Input Devices: Methods for Stand-up Mousing

This technical note presents a novel plastic-slider based mouse input device which may be used as a classical hand mouse (on a pad) or as a foot mouse (typically, on carpet). Our motivation is two-fold: first to understand the imagined versus feasible design space of constrained and unconstrained input technologies, and then to propose a novel sliding-based input device which we explicitly designed for standing. Unlike most mice, the slider mouse is designed to be easily used while standing rather than whilst seated, as an exertion interface which encourages hip and ankle mobility, lower body proprioception and single-leg strength & balance. We use this foot-based slider mouse as a research probe into questions of constrained-to-a-plane versus unconstrained input devices, and standing versus seated postures. Finally, we discuss results from the iterative prototyping process, and a qualitative pilot study of slider-based foot input devices and interaction techniques. ACM Classification: H5.2 [Information interfaces and presentation]: User Interfaces. – Input devices and strategies. General terms: Design, Human Factors, Performance