Mobile computing devices, in particular smartphones are powered from Lithium-ion batteries, which are limited in capacity. With the increasing popularity of mobile systems, various text input methods have been developed to improve user experience and performance. Briefly, text input method is a user interface that can be used to compose an electronic mail, configure mobile Virtual Private Network, and carryout bank transactions and online purchases. Efficient energy management in these systems requires an extensive knowledge of where and how the energy is being used. This thesis investigates the energy consumption of text input methods on various smartphones. Hence, the authors modeled the energy consumption profile of text input methods on smartphones and analyze the energy usage benchmarks of the battery. This thesis presents a systematic technique to conduct application specific measurements. The data analysis showed substantial variations in the energy consumptions of various text input methods on a smartphone. / The main objective of this research is to find a systematic and measurement based method to evaluate the energy efficiency of the selected text input methods used on smartphones namely: SwiftKey, Swype, and Zimpl. Using Power Monitor equipment and MATLAB, the energy consumption log files of the text input methods were collected for each of the smartphones, and analyzed. This research introduces an optimized technique to carry-out application specific test on smartphones. It is hoped that the thesis will be beneficial to smartphone battery manufacturers and developers of text input techniques on how to make users’ smartphone battery last longer.

Portable, handheld, and wearable devices are an integrate part of everyday life, yet there is no well-established text inputmethod for devices with very small screens. Speech to text has been a quick fix, but entails privacy concerns and can beobtrusive. Chord keyboards bring various advantages for application in a mobile environment, as they require fewer keys andcan thus be small and portable. The aim of this work is to suggest an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard, suitable for textentry on devices of all sizes, shapes and mobility requirements. A one hand operational chord keyboard was developed andevaluated in a small user study with regard to its social acceptability. Learnability showed to be a concern that discouragesuse, while social aspects did not seem to be an issue.

Ce travail de thèse avait pour objectif principal d’étudier l’influence de certains paramétrages deslogiciels de prédiction de mots et d’un programme d’entraînement ciblé sur la vitesse de saisie detexte chez des personnes tétraplégiques. Six études ont été menées. L’étude 1 nous a permis demettre en évidence des vitesses de saisie de texte chez les personnes tétraplégiques et d’étudierl’influence de leurs aides techniques d’accès à l’outil informatique sur cette vitesse. L’étude 2 nous apermis de mettre en avant l’hétérogénéité des résultats d’un logiciel de prédiction de mots sur lavitesse de saisie de texte sur une population hétérogène et sans paramétrage de ces logiciels.L’étude 3 nous a permis d’étudier les habitudes de préconisations et de paramétrages des logiciels deprédictions de mots par les professionnels. Les études 4 et 5 nous ont permis d’évaluer l’influencedes paramétrages (nombre de mots affichés dans la liste de prédiction et l’adaptation du logiciel auvocabulaire de l’utilisateur) sur cette saisie de texte. Enfin, l’étude 6 nous a permis d’étudierl’influence d’un entraînement dirigé par des professionnels sur les logiciels de prédictions de motschez des personnes tétraplégiques, sur la vitesse de saisie de texte.Les résultats montrent que seule l’aide technique d’accès à l’outil informatique influence la vitessede saisie de texte. Les logiciels de reconnaissance vocale permettent une vitesse de saisie de texteéquivalente à celle des personnes valides utilisant un clavier standard. Les paramétrages (nombre demots affichés dans la liste de prédiction et l’adaptation du logiciel au vocabulaire de l’utilisateur) ontune influence différente en fonction du niveau lésionnel des personnes tétraplégiques sur la vitessede saisie de texte, le nombre d’erreurs ou le confort. De plus, une différence entre l’importancedonnée aux paramétrages par les professionnels préconisateurs et les paramétrages effectivementréglés a été mise en évidence. Enfin, l’influence d’un entraînement dirigé sur la vitesse de saisie detexte a été mise en évidence sur la vitesse de saisie de texte. Au regard de l’ensemble de cesrésultats, il apparait nécessaire de paramétrer les logiciels de prédictions de mots, mais aussi deconnaitre l’influence des différents réglages et de diffuser cette information au sein des réseauxprofessionnels. La recherche doit être poursuivie pour améliorer les logiciels de prédiction de mots,mais aussi pour favoriser de nouveaux outils tels les tablettes tactiles et les logiciels dereconnaissance vocale. Une systématisation des entraînements dirigés sur les logiciels de prédictionde mots nécessite une réflexion et une validation sur les modalités et la nature de cesaccompagnements. / The main objective of this work was to study the influence of key settings of word predictionsoftware as well as a training program on the use of word prediction, on text input speed in personswith cervical spinal cord injury.Study 1 determined text input speed in persons with cervical spinal cord injury and the influence ofpersonal characteristics and type of computer device on text input speed. Study 2 evaluated theeffect of a dynamic virtual keyboard coupled with word prediction software on text input speed inpersons with functional tetraplegia. Study 3 analysed the word prediction software settingscommonly prescribed by health-related professionals for people with cervical spinal cord injury.Studies 4 and 5 evaluated the influence of the number of words displayed in the prediction list andthe frequency of use setting on text input speed. Finally, study 6 evaluated the influence of a trainingprogram on the use of word prediction software for persons with cervical spinal cord injury on textinput speed.The results showed that only the type of computer device influenced text input speed; voicerecognition software increased the text input speed of persons with cervical spinal cord injury to thatof able-bodied people using a standard keyboard. The influence of the different word predictionsoftware settings (number of words displayed in the prediction list and the frequency of use) on textinput speed, the number of errors or comfort of use, differed depending on the level of injury. Wealso found differences between the perception of the importance of some settings by healthprofessionalsand data in the literature regarding the optimization of settings. Moreover, althoughsome parameters were considered as very important, they were rarely configured. Finally, trainingpersons with cervical spinal cord injury in the use of word prediction software increased text inputspeed.The results of this work highlighted that word prediction software settings influence text input speedin persons with cervical spinal cord injury, however not all professionals are aware of this.Information should therefore be disseminated through professional networks. Further studies shouldaim to improve word prediction software and should also focus on new devices such as tablets andvoice recognition software. Persons with cervical spinal cord injury training programs in the use ofword prediction software need to be developed and validated.

This thesis discusses handwriting as a possible text input method for Virtual Reality (VR) with a goal of comparing handwriting with a virtual keyboard input method. VR applications have different approaches to text input and there is no standard for how the user should enter text. Text input methods are important for the user in many cases, e.g when they document, communicate or enter their login information. The goal of the study was to understand how a handwriting input would compare to pointing at a virtual keyboard, which is the most common approach to the problem. A prototype was built using Tesseract for character recognition and Unity to create a basic virtual environment. This prototype was then evaluated with a user study, comparing it to the de facto standard virtual keyboard input method. The user study had a usability and desirability questionnaire approach and also uses Sutcliffe's heuristics for evaluation of virtual environments. Interviews were performed with each test user. The results suggested that the virtual keyboard performs better except for how engaging the input method was. From the interviews a common comment was that the handwriting input method was more fun and engaging. Further applications of the handwriting input method are discussed as well as why the users favored the virtual keyboard method. / Virtual Reality (VR) applikationer har olika tillvägagångssätt för textinmatning och det finns ingen tydlig standard hur användaren matar in text i VR. Textinmatning är viktigt när användaren ska dokumentera, kommunicera eller logga in. Målet med studien var att jämföra en inmatningsmetod baserad på handskrift med det de facto standard virtuella tangentbordet och se vilken inmatningsmetod användarna föredrog. En prototyp som använde handskrift byggdes med hjälp av Tesseract för textinmatning och Unity för att skapa en virtuell miljö. Prototypen jämfördes sedan med det virtuella tangentbordet i en användarstudie. Användarstudien bestod av uppmätt tid samt antal fel, en enkät och en intervju. Enkäten grundades på användarbarhet, önskvärdhet och Sutcliffes utvärderingsheuristik av virtuella miljöer. Resultatet visar att det virtuella tangentbordet presterade bättre, handskriftsmetoden presterade endast bättre på att engagera användaren. Resultatet från intervjuerna styrkte också att handskriftsmetoden var roligare och mer engagerande att använda men inte lika användbar. Framtida studier föreslås i diskussionen samt varför användarna föredrog det virtuella tangentbordet.