Using Smartphones as Magnifying Devices: A Comparison of Reading Surface Finger Tracking and Device Panning

Abstract

Smartphones can be used as magnifying devices to compensate for low visual acuity. However, it can be challenging to pan both vertically and horizontally. To simplify panning we implemented a magnifier where the user moves the finger along the text on the reading surface instead of moving the device. A controlled experiment was conducted to compare finger-based panning with panning by moving the device. The results show that participants performed better with device-based panning and preferred device-based panning compared to surface finger tracking.