One Versus Two-Handed Six Degree-of-Freedom Compensatory Tracking in 3D and the Effects of Practice

Three-dimensional displays and input devices are now widely available. While research has investigated 3D input devices for a variety of applications, much research describes custom-made devices. There are also limited guidelines on the use of 3D input devices. A previous study investigating six degree-of-freedom (DOF) compensatory tracking performance found that novice users with little practice performed the task very poorly. This study investigates the effects of practice on performance. Subjects performed a compensatory tracking task using off-the-shelf six-DOF input devices with one device in one hand, or two devices, one in each hand splitting translation (X, Y, Z axis) and rotation (Heading, Pitch, Roll) control between hands. Examining Root Mean Square Error for each axis indicated that the tracking task was difficult to perform. Regression results and slopes indicated there was greater improvement over time for translation movements for the two hand condition, but performance for translation was better when using one hand. Research is needed to determine appropriate settings for the 3D mouse based on task type