Kiosks and touch screens

Discussion articles

  • Anti-vandal keyboards vs standard keyboards in interactive kiosks (PDF)
    If a kiosk program is deployed with equipment that cannot accommodate the rigors of public use, it is going to create a snowball effect. First the user will not have a pleasant experience causing them not to use the kiosk again. Second,
    the user will more than likely not recommend the use of the kiosk to other people.

  • Kiosk planning and design guide (PDF)
    Outlines some design guidelines for the location and design of touchscreen kiosks.

  • Immediate usability: kiosk design principles from the CHI 2001 Photo Library (PDF)
    Public access systems are widely used, but they often suffer from poor usability for casual users. These principles and guidelines provide specific advice and concrete examples that practitioners can use to help ensure the immediate usability of public access systems. They also provide a framework for researchers to use when creating and evaluating new technologies for public interfaces.

  • The interface between humans and interactive kiosks (PDF)
    Successful kiosk development and deployment can prosper or fail based on the interaction tools the kiosk provides to the end user. This aspect of kiosk development is often overlooked and can result in frustration by the targeted audience. Insufficient methods of input to perform necessary tasks and the inability for a kiosk to retain the interest of the user results in low use of the machine.

  • Touchscreen application tips
    Ten simple pointers that can make your touch-enabled application a success.

Research articles

  • High precision touchscreens: museum kiosks, home automation and touchscreen keyboards
    Between 1987 and 1991 the University of Maryland's Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory worked on a series of projects which shared a common aspect: the use of touchscreens. The first pole of research was the use of touchscreens for information kiosks.  This was closely tied to our research on hypertext and hyperties. As information was becoming easier to navigate with hypertext links, information kiosks were becoming more important for museums and other public places, but mice are unpractical in public settings, so touchscreens are the natural choice!

  • The human factors of touch input devices
    The popularity of touch input devices for use in a wide variety of information, telecommunication, and other systems applications warrants a review of the role of human factors in the design and use of these devices, particularly touch screens and touch pads. This report reviews empirical research into the human interface design issues of touch input devices including display mounting angle, touch biases, touch area size and shape, feedback, and touch key interaction strategies. The limitations and capabilities of the devices for supporting a variety of tasks are examined as are comparisons between these devices and more conventional input devices such as keyboards. Attempts to improve the user interaction with these devices are also reviewed. Conclusions and recommendations regarding the use and design of touch input devices are provided. Note: article must be purchased.

Presentations

Resources

  • Self-service and Kiosk Association
    The Association website provides information on the kiosk industry including touchscreen and kiosk technology developments, news, case studies, developers and equipment vendors.