Effects of feedback color and icon shape on touch interaction performance under unstable conditions of floating nuclear power platforms

In floating nuclear power platforms (FNPPs), the main control interface will gradually transition from traditional physical control panels to highly integrated, intelligent touchscreens. Existing research on touchscreen interaction performance has primarily focused on static environments. However, its applicability and mechanisms under dynamic sea conditions have not yet been fully elucidated. This study utilized a six-degree-of-freedom motion platform to simulate typical six-degree sea conditions. Through a 3×4 two-factor experimental design, the study assessed the impact of three icon shapes (rectangular, circular, triangular) and four color feedback options (green, red, blue, yellow) on touchscreen multi-directional click tasks. The results showed that icon shape and feedback color significantly influenced click efficiency (p < 0.05), with triangular icons combined with yellow feedback performing best in terms of click time and accuracy. This study provides experimental evidence and design recommendations for improving the human-machine interface performance of critical maritime systems such as FNPP.