Design and usability evaluation of display interface elements for centralized monitoring system based on eye tracking

Centralized monitoring systems are increasingly used in modern hospitals to display real-time vital signs from multiple patients. The validity and reliability of their interfaces directly affect the accuracy of medical information transmission and the efficiency of clinical decision-making. However, uniform standards for interface element design—including font size, color contrast, spatial layout, and labeling—are lacking. Inappropriate display designs may increase nurses’ cognitive load and lead to data retrieval errors.

In this study, researchers from the School of Nursing, Peking University, first designed interface elements for a centralized monitoring system based on ergonomic principles (Study 1). Studies 2 and 3 used a visual search experimental paradigm with a single-factor, four-level, within-subjects design. Three of the interfaces were existing mainstream centralized monitoring displays, and Interface 4 was designed based on ergonomic principles. Fifty participants were recruited in January 2023: 20 for Study 2 (accuracy and reaction time) and 30 for Study 3 (eye-movement metrics). All participants provided subjective ratings of the four interfaces.

The results showed that Interfaces 1, 3, and 4 outperformed Interface 2 in terms of heart rate accuracy, oxygen saturation accuracy, and body temperature response time. Interface 4 had shorter total fixation time in the region of interest than the other three interfaces. Interfaces 3 and 4 had fewer fixation points than the other two interfaces. Interfaces 2 and 4 had shorter time to first fixation than the other two interfaces. Interface 4 had a lower average pupil diameter than Interface 2. In subjective ratings, 46% of participants considered Interface 4 most conducive to information acquisition, followed by Interface 1 (32%), Interface 2 (18%), and Interface 3 (4%). This study demonstrates that an ergonomically designed display interface can improve usability and provides an optimization scheme for centralized monitoring system interface design.

The work titled “Design and usability evaluation of display interface elements for centralized monitoring system based on eye tracking” was published in Interdisciplinary Nursing Research (published on Mar. 6, 2025).