Question 1

It is common feature of light switches that "up" means "on" and "down" means "off". Sometimes, light switches are mounted sideways, and then it is unclear which position means "on" or "off". This type of designed is a violation of

Accepted Answer

Population stereotypes refer to the common expectations or beliefs about how controls operate based on societal norms or experiences. The expectation that "up" means "on" and "down" means "off" for light switches is a population stereotype. When switches are mounted sideways, it violates these expectations, leading to confusion.

Question 2

Controls that need labels are probably poorly coded.

Accepted Answer

Controls that require labels for users to understand their function may indicate that the design or coding is not intuitive or self-explanatory, suggesting poor coding practices.

Question 3

The commonly used QWERTY keyboard was introduced as a way to slow down typing rate.

Accepted Answer

The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed in the 19th century to prevent jams in mechanical typewriters by spacing out commonly used letter combinations, which had the side effect of slowing down typing to some extent.

Question 4

Research shows that trackballs are the best devices for point-and-click tasks when using a computer.

Accepted Answer

Research does not conclusively show that trackballs are the best devices for all users in point-and-click tasks; preferences and performance can vary based on the individual's comfort, the task, and the context.

Question 5

In order to raise the forks on a forklift, Barry must push a lever down. This is a violation of which design principle?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In order to raise the forks on...

Question 6

If a driver wishes to turn her car, she operates the steering wheel by turning it. The fact that the turning action of the steering wheel reflects the turning response of the car is an example of

Accepted Answer

Movement compatibility refers to the correspondence between the movements of the control device (steering wheel) and the movements of the controlled object (car). In this case, turning the steering wheel produces a turning response in the car, indicating that there is movement compatibility. Spatial compatibility refers to the arrangement of control and display in a way that is intuitive and makes spatial sense, and is not directly relevant to the example given. Direction coding and location coding refer to the use of directional or spatial cues (such as arrows or landmarks) to communicate information, but are not directly applicable to the example given.

Question 7

According to Warrick's Principle, a rotary knob placed above a horizontal linear display must be turned _________ in order to cause an indicator in the display to move to the right.

Accepted Answer

Warrick's Principle states that a rotary knob placed above a horizontal linear display must be turned counterclockwise in order to cause an indicator in the display to move to the right.

Question 8

The scaling between the distance of movement of a controller and the distance of the displayed movement is called the

Accepted Answer

The control-display (C-D) ratio is an important concept in ergonomics and human-computer interaction. It defines the relationship between the physical movement of a control device (like a mouse, joystick, or trackball) and the resulting movement on the display screen. A higher C-D ratio means that a small movement of the controller will result in a large movement on the display, which can be useful for tasks requiring fast navigation across the screen. Conversely, a lower C-D ratio means that more physical movement is required to move the cursor or object on the screen, which can allow for more precise control.

Question 9

In tracking tasks, operation of the controller is considered the _____, while the system response to the controller is called the _______.

Accepted Answer

In tracking tasks, the controller provides input to the system, hence it is considered the input while the response of the system to the controller is the output. Therefore, the correct choice is D) input; output. Choices A and B are incorrect as they do not accurately capture the relationship between the controller and the system. Choice C is also incorrect as the output refers to the system's response, not the controller's.

Question 10

Delay between control input and system output is called _____; long delays tend to have a ______ effect on operator performance.

Accepted Answer

Delay between control input and system output is called lag. Long delays tend to have a negative effect on operator performance.

Question 11

You have designed a video game called "Get Off My Lawn!" in which the player controls a virtual water hose and uses it to spray things as they walk on their virtual lawn, such as neighborhood kids, stray dogs, and salespeople. You have designed it to work with a joystick, such that large deflections of the joystick moves the spray nozzle quickly around the screen. Small deflections cause it to move slowly. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of first order control because the speed of the nozzle's movement is proportional to the displacement of the joystick from its neutral position, which is a characteristic of first order systems.

Question 12

You have designed a video game called "Get Off My Lawn!" in which the player controls a virtual water hose and uses it to spray things as they walk on their virtual lawn, such as neighborhood kids, stray dogs, and salespeople. You have designed it to work with a joystick, such that when the joystick is in the neutral position, the nozzle stays centered on screen. Small deflections of the joystick move the nozzle a small distance from center, while larger deflections move the nozzle to the edges of the screen. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Zero order control refers to a system where the output is directly proportional to the input, such as the joystick's position directly controlling the nozzle's position on the screen.

Question 13

Tracking displays that show only the error state without showing the system or controller state, are known as

Accepted Answer

Compensatory displays focus solely on the error state, not showing the system or controller state, requiring the operator to compensate for any errors detected.

Question 14

Steering a car by monitoring where the front of the car is located relative to the lane markers is an example of a ______ tracking task.

Accepted Answer

In a pursuit tracking task, the operator continuously monitors and adjusts the position of a moving object (like a car) relative to a target (lane markers), making it a pursuit task.

Question 15

Which of the following persons is mostly likely at their peak of motor skill and functioning?

Accepted Answer

Motor skills tend to peak around young adulthood, which is around the age of 26 for men. Sally, who is only 8 years old, is still developing her motor skills, while James and Christina are past the age where motor skills are at their prime.

Question 16

The ability to hold and manipulate small objects is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Fine motor skills involve the ability to make small, precise movements with the fingers, hands, and wrists. This includes tasks such as writing, using utensils, buttoning clothing, and manipulating small objects.

Question 17

Research shows that _________ can help offset age-related declines in movement rapidity.

Accepted Answer

Physical activity and exercise have been widely documented to help offset age-related declines in movement rapidity, improving overall mobility and function in older adults.

Question 18

One established reason for why older adults performing slower reaching movements is:

Accepted Answer

Feedback processing deficits refer to age-related declines in the ability to use sensory information to make adjustments during movement. This can impact the speed and accuracy of reaching movements in older adults. Personality changes, memory deficits, and stress are not directly related to slower reaching movements.

Question 19

Medicine bottles that can only be opened using a "press down and turn" movement of the cap are designed for what reason:

Accepted Answer

Medicine bottles that require a "press down and turn" motion of the cap are designed to prevent children from accessing and potentially ingesting the medication. This is because young children may accidentally ingest medication, which can be dangerous or even deadly. By making it more difficult to open the bottle, it helps ensure that only adults who are capable of following the instructions can access the medication.

Question 20

What is the difference between reaction time and movement time?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between reaction time...

Quiz 8: Motor Skills and Control