Toward Pen-Based Interaction with ATC Tools

Modernizing workstations for air traffic controllers is a challenge: designers must increase efficiency without affecting safety in any way. Air traffic control is a time-intensive and safety-critical activity, and thus interaction efficiency and low error rates are crucial. Classical interaction techniques have been used in prototype workstations, but the resulting efficiency is not always satisfactory. This leads designers to consider more advanced interaction techniques. This article reports on the design and a preliminary evaluation of the first prototype of project IMAGINE, which represents the second generation of graphical interfaces for air traffic control. This prototype, GRIGRI, uses a high resolution touch screen and provides mark based input through the screen. The use of gestures, as well as the use of multimodal techniques, make interaction faster and closer to the controllers’ habits. © 1996 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.