Comparing reading processes on e-ink displays and print

Siegenthaler, Eva; Wurtz, Pascal; Bergamin, Per; Groner, Rudolf (2011). Comparing reading processes on e-ink displays and print. Displays, 32(5), pp. 268-273. Elsevier 10.1016/j.displa.2011.05.005

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E-book reading devices open new possibilities in the field of reading. More activities than just reading a
book can be performed with a single electronic device. For a long time, electronic reading devices have
not been favored because their active LCD displays used to have a relatively low contrast. The new generation
of electronic reading devices differs from earlier ones in the nature of the display: active LCD displays
have been replaced with displays based on e-ink technology, which has display properties closer to
that of printed paper. Moreover, e-ink technology has higher power efficiency, thereby increasing battery
life and reducing weight. At first sight, the display looks similar to paper print, but the question remains
whether the reading behavior also is equal to that of reading a printed book. In the present study, we analyzed
and compared reading behavior on e-reader displays and on printed paper. The results suggest that
the reading behavior on e-readers is indeed very similar to the reading behavior on print. Participants
shared similar proportions of regressive saccades while reading on e-readers and print. Significant differences
in fixation duration suggest that e-readers, in some situations, may even provide better legibility.

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