A technique for improving text editing on touchscreen devices. (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costagliola, Gennaro; De Rosa, Mattia; Fuccella, Vittorio
• Is Part Of: Journal of visual languages & computing. Volume 47(2018)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Gestures -- Text editing -- Stylus tablet -- Touchscreen; Visual programming languages (Computer science) -- Periodicals; Visual programming (Computer science) -- Periodicals; Programming languages (Electronic computers) -- Semantics -- Periodicals; Langages de programmation visuelle -- Périodiques; Programmation visuelle -- Périodiques; Langages de programmation -- Sémantique -- Périodiques; Programming languages (Electronic computers) -- Semantics; Visual programming (Computer science); Visual programming languages (Computer science); Periodicals; Electronic journals; 005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvlc.2018.04.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1045-926X

Abstract

Abstract: We present a gesture-based technique for the efficient text editing on touchscreen devices. In order to define our technique, we ran a preliminary experiment and detected the most natural gestures that users choose when unconstrained. Users can perform the main operations such as select, move, copy, delete and paste directly on the text, thus making the editing technique independent from the text entry method (e.g. a soft keyboard). As an evaluation, we compared our gestural editing technique to the one available on most Android devices. The experimental results show that the gestural editing technique is more efficient when the text font size increases.