title: Computer mouse operation: is the left-handed user disadvantaged?
abstract: A survey of University of Melbourne student-use computers showed that 100% had the mouse installed on the right-hand side. An experiment was performed to determine if the left-handed user was disadvantaged by this arrangement. Times to move the cursor to targets of different sizes and distances showed that left-handed users were not significantly disadvantaged and that, in accord with other tests, they were as good using their non-preferred hand as they were with their preferred hand. As expected, left-handers were superior to right-handed users when using their non-preferred hand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yim
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016287:Computer Peripherals; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012044:Regression Analysis