Mobile device interaction gestures for older users

Abstract

Finger gesture interaction on multitouch surfaces has become increasingly popular, especially on mobile devices. While manufacturers struggle to stake their claims in setting the next interaction standard, research still has to validate the 'intuitiveness' and 'naturalness' which is often attributed to this new interaction paradigm. Elderly users, who still struggle with interfaces that do not address their particular needs, abilities and knowledge, could especially benefit from a more intuitive and easy-to-use interface. This work addresses the question of which gestures might be appropriate for a range of common tasks on a generic mobile device for older users. Furthermore, we investigate whether the preferred gestures for a certain task differ between younger and older users. Results show that perceived suitability differs significantly on characteristics such as basic gesture type, fingers involved, or gesture complexity between the age groups.