Multi-Tap Sliders

Validation level: 5. CHI, UIST, CSCW and TOCHI paper publication

A new technique for adjusting parameters in touchable screens. It merges the slider for adjusting the levels of a parameter with the index finger and the parameter selection with the middle, ring and little finger by tapping the screen.

Publications
Copy Bibtex Freeman, D.; Benko, H.; Morris, M. R. and Wigdor, D. ShadowGuides: Visualizations for In-situ Learning of Multi-touch and Whole-hand Gestures. In Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces, pages 165-172, ACM, New York, NY, USA, ITS '09 , 2009.
Also featured in
Storyboard of Functions

Selecting the parameter to modify by tapping the screen with the fingers (0, 1, 2 or the 3 of them, depending on the parameter that the user wants to select).

Change the value of the parameter selected by sliding the index finger up or down.

Evaluation
Time to perform the task of parameter selection in traditional and relative sliders and the multi-tap sliders with one or two hands.
Evaluation
Time to perform the task of value adjustment of the selected parameter in traditional and relative sliders and the multi-tap sliders with one or two hands.
Highlights:

This technique provides to the users a way of selecting and adjusting parameters with gestures of one hand, without losing the focus on the main task that they are performing.

Limitations:

Learnability of the system: Because of the novelty of the technique, users need around 5-10 minutes of a training session in order to understand its functionality and be able to perform tasks with it.