The aim of the present work was to identify the influence of visual feedback on the quality of users' work with variant human–computer interfaces and on the mastering of interfaces. The studies assessed the features of the generation of control commands by operators of ergatic (man–machine) systems using an oculographic interface, and hand- and head-based movement control interfaces were assessed. The presence of visual feedback was found to be important for accurate command generation in all cases. However, when controlling with the head and eyes, the presence of visual feedback led to greater deviations from the ideal trajectory and increases in the distance traveled by the cursor before reaching the target in untrained users. Analysis of typical reactions in all experiments allowed three types of control to be identified, these being different for eye and head movements but not for hand movements in the ergatic system. The first and second types showed greater numbers of errors in the presence of feedback than the third type. The results obtained here may be of value in the development of promising interfaces for ergatic systems, including determination of the required visual feedback components for this class of technical devices.
