Using Fitts’ Law for a 3D Pointing Task on a 2D Display: Effects of Depth and Vantage Point

Abstract

Laparoscopic surgery requires surgeons to make judgments about three-dimensional movements using a two-dimensional display. This arrangement reduces the available visual feedback information, such as certain depth cues. The current study used Fitts’ (1954) law to examine the relationship between psychomotor movement time, target size and target distance for a psychomotor pointing task using a laparoscopic instrument in three-dimensional space projected on a two-dimensional display from different vantage points. Analyses demonstrate an effect for depth of target on accuracy, internal consistency and movement time. The results demonstrate that Fitts’ law can be utilized to detect differences in conditions when a three-dimensional task must be completed with the visual feedback presented on a two-dimensional display. No reliable results of vantage point were found. Thus, the location of a two-dimensional display may not be critical for the type of laparoscopic pointing tasks examined in the present study.

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