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Measuring the role of age in user performance during interaction with computers

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Abstract

The influence of aging on computer interaction has been widely analyzed in human–computer interaction research literature. Despite this, there are no age-based user maps that could support the user-interface customization. Studying the specific needs and constraints of these groups is crucial in order to adapt a user interface to the user’s interaction requirements. This work studies the performance of a sample of participants on three different basic tasks (pointing, dragging and dropping, and text selection) and the influence of age for each of them. It is concluded that this influence differs between specific activities. A group profile map that can support automatic classification in the future has been obtained.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been funded by the Department of Science and Technology (Spain) under the National Program for Research, Development and Innovation: project TIN2011-25978, entitled Obtaining Adaptable, Robust and Efficient Software by Including Structural Reflection to Statically Typed Programming Languages, and project TIN2009-12132, entitled SHUBAI: Augmented Accessibility for Handicapped Users in Ambient Intelligence and in Urban Computing Environments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain

    Beatriz Pariente-Martinez, Martin Gonzalez-Rodriguez & Daniel Fernandez-Lanvin

  2. Department of Accounting, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain

    Javier De Andres-Suarez

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  1. Beatriz Pariente-Martinez
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  2. Martin Gonzalez-Rodriguez
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  3. Daniel Fernandez-Lanvin
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  4. Javier De Andres-Suarez
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Correspondence to Beatriz Pariente-Martinez.

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Pariente-Martinez, B., Gonzalez-Rodriguez, M., Fernandez-Lanvin, D. et al. Measuring the role of age in user performance during interaction with computers. Univ Access Inf Soc 15, 237–247 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-014-0388-6

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