Speakers often use a laser pointer to highlight something on their slides. For me as a listener, it is sometimes not easy but even stressful to follow the hectically circling red point. Most of the time I try to ignore it and concentrate myself on the content of the slide. Are there any studies or other scientific research results that deal with the convenience of laser pointers (and maybe other means for pointing) from a user experience perspective?
asked Mar 11, 2014 at 14:56
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The few articles I could find states laser pointers are not exactly user friendly for people with color blindness since most laser pointers are red or green and people with those disability will be unable to follow it. To quote this article:
If you are not affected by color blindness the little red or green spot which is produced by a laser pointer can not be overseen. The little dot is so bright, shiny and clear that your eye easily finds it. Even following the light if it is moved quite fast isn’t a problem at all.
Now if we look at it through colorblind eyes this looks totaly different. Maybe this affects only people with red-green color blindness because of the color used in laser pointers. The laser pointer spot just isn’t that much outshining to colorblind people as it should be. Therefore it is very hard to follow the point – or often it can’t even be seen at all.
Intensive laser pointer usage combined with fast movements can make it very demanding for people affected by color blindness to follow a presentation.
