Enhancing Text Entry for Users with Motor Impairments: Design and Evaluation of KeyGlide
Farid Karimli , and Margrit Betke
In Proceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments , 2025
Text entry systems typically require users to interact with significant precision, limiting the accessibility and efficiency of such systems for individuals with motor impairments. This paper introduces KeyGlide, an on-screen keyboard system designed to facilitate accessible text input through simple movement-based selection that does not require precise pointer control. KeyGlide operates by cycling through groups of letters displayed on the screen, highlighting each group in sequence. Users select a group by moving into a large, easy-to-reach screen region when the desired group is highlighted. Once a group is selected, the system cycles through the letters within that group, allowing the user to select a specific letter using the same movement-based mechanism. To enhance efficiency and reduce the effort required for text input, KeyGlide incorporates predictive text features, enabling accurate input even with imprecise movements. Studies with several users with advanced multiple sclerosis demonstrate KeyGlide’s potential to empower individuals with severe motor impairments to input text effectively and efficiently.