Exploring the Impact of Size and Input Mechanism for Using Touch-Based 2D Input in VR

Jiafu Lv; Sanxing Cao; Qian He; Shuting Chang; Gaozhang Chen; Hechuan Zhang; Yining Liu; Can Liu; Teng Han; Tianren Luo

doi:10.1080/10447318.2025.2605185

Exploring the Impact of Size and Input Mechanism for Using Touch-Based 2D Input in VR

Jiafu Lv
, Sanxing Cao
, Qian He
, Shuting Chang
, Gaozhang Chen
, Hechuan Zhang
, Yining Liu
, Can Liu
, Teng Han
, Tianren Luo^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Creative Media

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

Abstract

Considering the lack of evaluation of the human factors of 2D touch input devices in VR, this paper explores the impact of touch device size and input mechanism on target selection performance from an ergonomic perspective. Through pilot experiments, two key factors, “touch device size” and “input mechanism,” were identified, and a VR interaction prototype based on smartphones and RGB-D fingertip tracking was constructed. In the formal experiment, we evaluated three sizes (3-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch) and three mechanisms (touch, release, lift-and-tap) across three representative tasks (target acquisition, teleportation navigation, text entry), measuring completion time, error rate, and NASA-TLX. Results demonstrated the 5-inch size paired with the release mechanism achieved the best tradeoff. Combined with Fitts’s law and the NTMR model, advantages in thumb comfort zone, C-D ratio matching and feedback rhythm were revealed. The study provided an empirical basis and engineering suggestions for 2D touch input in VR.

© 2026 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Original language	English
Number of pages	27
Journal	International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction
Online published	12 Jan 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2025.2605185
Publication status	Online published - 12 Jan 2026

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 62132010], the Key Project of the Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences [Grant No. ISCAS-ZD-202401] and National Natural Science Foundation of China- Young Scientists Fund [CityU 62202397].

Research Keywords

Virtual reality
ergonomics
2D input

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title = "Exploring the Impact of Size and Input Mechanism for Using Touch-Based 2D Input in VR",

abstract = "Considering the lack of evaluation of the human factors of 2D touch input devices in VR, this paper explores the impact of touch device size and input mechanism on target selection performance from an ergonomic perspective. Through pilot experiments, two key factors, “touch device size” and “input mechanism,” were identified, and a VR interaction prototype based on smartphones and RGB-D fingertip tracking was constructed. In the formal experiment, we evaluated three sizes (3-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch) and three mechanisms (touch, release, lift-and-tap) across three representative tasks (target acquisition, teleportation navigation, text entry), measuring completion time, error rate, and NASA-TLX. Results demonstrated the 5-inch size paired with the release mechanism achieved the best tradeoff. Combined with Fitts{\textquoteright}s law and the NTMR model, advantages in thumb comfort zone, C-D ratio matching and feedback rhythm were revealed. The study provided an empirical basis and engineering suggestions for 2D touch input in VR. {\textcopyright} 2026 Taylor \& Francis Group, LLC",

keywords = "Virtual reality, ergonomics, 2D input",

author = "Jiafu Lv and Sanxing Cao and Qian He and Shuting Chang and Gaozhang Chen and Hechuan Zhang and Yining Liu and Can Liu and Teng Han and Tianren Luo",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1080/10447318.2025.2605185",

language = "English",

journal = "International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction",

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T1 - Exploring the Impact of Size and Input Mechanism for Using Touch-Based 2D Input in VR

AU - Lv, Jiafu

AU - Cao, Sanxing

AU - He, Qian

AU - Chang, Shuting

AU - Chen, Gaozhang

AU - Zhang, Hechuan

AU - Liu, Yining

AU - Liu, Can

AU - Han, Teng

AU - Luo, Tianren

PY - 2026/1/12

Y1 - 2026/1/12

N2 - Considering the lack of evaluation of the human factors of 2D touch input devices in VR, this paper explores the impact of touch device size and input mechanism on target selection performance from an ergonomic perspective. Through pilot experiments, two key factors, “touch device size” and “input mechanism,” were identified, and a VR interaction prototype based on smartphones and RGB-D fingertip tracking was constructed. In the formal experiment, we evaluated three sizes (3-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch) and three mechanisms (touch, release, lift-and-tap) across three representative tasks (target acquisition, teleportation navigation, text entry), measuring completion time, error rate, and NASA-TLX. Results demonstrated the 5-inch size paired with the release mechanism achieved the best tradeoff. Combined with Fitts’s law and the NTMR model, advantages in thumb comfort zone, C-D ratio matching and feedback rhythm were revealed. The study provided an empirical basis and engineering suggestions for 2D touch input in VR. © 2026 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

AB - Considering the lack of evaluation of the human factors of 2D touch input devices in VR, this paper explores the impact of touch device size and input mechanism on target selection performance from an ergonomic perspective. Through pilot experiments, two key factors, “touch device size” and “input mechanism,” were identified, and a VR interaction prototype based on smartphones and RGB-D fingertip tracking was constructed. In the formal experiment, we evaluated three sizes (3-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch) and three mechanisms (touch, release, lift-and-tap) across three representative tasks (target acquisition, teleportation navigation, text entry), measuring completion time, error rate, and NASA-TLX. Results demonstrated the 5-inch size paired with the release mechanism achieved the best tradeoff. Combined with Fitts’s law and the NTMR model, advantages in thumb comfort zone, C-D ratio matching and feedback rhythm were revealed. The study provided an empirical basis and engineering suggestions for 2D touch input in VR. © 2026 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

KW - Virtual reality

KW - ergonomics

KW - 2D input

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001659897900001

U2 - 10.1080/10447318.2025.2605185

DO - 10.1080/10447318.2025.2605185

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1044-7318

JO - International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

JF - International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

ER -

Exploring the Impact of Size and Input Mechanism for Using Touch-Based 2D Input in VR

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