title: The effect of tablet tilt angle on users' preferences, postures, and performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tablets and other mobile devices can be tilted during use. This study examined the effect of tablet tilt angles on reading performance, target-tapping performance, wrist and forearm posture, user comfort and users' tilt angle preferences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten participants used tablets alternating among four different tilt angles: 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and a user selected angle. Head, neck, wrist and forearm postural data were collected, along with reading and target-tapping performance. Subjective, perceived impressions were gathered via Likert scale questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neck flexion decreased significantly as tilt angle increased. The extreme tilt angles, 0° and 60°, were least preferred while the self-chosen tilt angle, averaging about 34°, was most preferred. Tapping performance was significantly better for the self-chosen tilt angle; however, this may be a practice effect. No effect of tilt was observed on reading performance or for forearm and wrist posture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tablet tilt angles should include a range of 20° to 50° at minimum.
authors.affiliation: High Plains Engineering Services, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Albin
authors.affiliation: Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA T-Mobile, Redmond, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Hugh E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: McLoone
mesh_terms: D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000502:physiology; D006257:Head / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011932:Reading; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Tablet; head neck posture; mobile computing; slate computing; tilt