CHAPTER 15

Text Entry When Movement is Impaired

Shari Trewin,     IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA

John Arnott,     University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK

15.1 INTRODUCTION

In a study commissioned by Microsoft, Forrester Research (2003) found that one in four working-age adults has some dexterity difficulty or impairment. Physical impairments can make traditional text entry mechanisms difficult or impossible to use (Jacko & Vitense, 2001; Sears & Young, 2003). For example, Parkinson’s disease can cause bradykinesia (slowness of movement), making it difficult for an individual to lift his or her finger off a key quickly. Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness in the fingers, so that it is difficult for an individual ...

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