Pointing Movements on Multi-Layered Displays

A Multi Layered Display TM (MLD) uses depth to alter the salience of information. This study considered how the use of depth might influence cursor positioning. As pointing movements to targets may be influenced by flanking nontargets, a MLD was used in an attempt to reduce any distracting effects of non-targets. Participants were 14 skilled computer users who moved a computer cursor using a mouse to virtual targets at two distances in the presence of flanking non-targets on the same or different layer, before or after the target. Cursors avoided the non-targets. Kinematic analysis of cursor trajectories implied less interference in initial cursor trajectories when non-targets were on a different layer. Enhancing target and flanker separation using the MLD reduced the distracting effects of flankers upon the early “planned” part of cursor trajectories. For the latter part of cursor trajectories a MLD may reduce a perceived potential for impact with non-targets.