Sticky widgets: pseudo-haptic widget enhancements for multi-monitor displays

People use multiple monitors to increase their display surface and to facilitate multitasking. However, if windows are maximized to fill one screen, users may have difficulties accessing widgets and tools on the borders of the displays, accidentally crossing over to the other display. To assist users of multi monitor displays, we developed a pseudohaptic approach to enhance boundary widgets. We compared our sticky widget to a standard widget for two multi monitor display configurations: two identical side-byside monitors, and two separated monitors of different sizes. Our enhancement improved performance by significantly reducing errors for accessing a boundary widget, reducing the number of accidental crossovers to the wrong display and consequently decreasing selection time. Author Keywords Multiple monitors, pseudo-haptic, sticky widgets, interaction technique, user interface. ACM Classification Keywords H5.2 [Information interfaces and presentation]: User Interfaces - Graphical us...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Regan L. Mandryk, Malcolm E. Rodgers, Kori M. Inkpen
• Keywords: CHI 2005, Difficulties Accessing Widgets, Human Computer Interaction, Keywords Multiple Monitors, Multi Monitor Display