Adaptive one-switch row-column scanning

Row-column scanning is a very slow method of communication. Options for increasing text entry rate include 1) dynamically changing the configuration of the row-column matrix or 2) using rate-enhancement techniques like word prediction, but evidence suggests that increased cognitive load imposed by these methods on the user can result in little or no improvement in test generation rate. An alternative we are investigating is adapting a system's scan delay during run-time. Our goal is to allow a scanning system to adjust its parameters "on the fly" (as opposed to the current practice of setting parameters during clinical assessments). This paper describes the evolution of a one-switch row-column scanning system that adapts its scan rate based on measurements of user performance. Two experiments have been performed to explore the effects of automatically adapting scan delay on users' test entry rate. Our results indicate that automatic adaptation has the potential to enhance test-entry rate without increasing task complexity.