Usability of Bionic Reading on Different Mediums: Eye-Tracking Study

Reading is a fundamental process and enhancing legibility is crucial for improving the reading experience. There is a growing interest in improving legibility, with new applications such as bionic reading. To investigate the legibility of texts in the bionic format, we tested two groups of participants, that is, younger readers (students) and older readers (middle-aged). Two widely used typefaces designed for on-screen reading were used to assess legibility, that is, the transitional typeface Georgia and the sans-serif typeface Verdana. The reading was tested with an eye-movement tracking device. Bionic reading was developed for on-screen reading; however, we were interested in whether it could also be used as a print typeface on paper. The results showed that bionic reading affects the reading time, that is, the reading time is longer. In addition, the Verdana typeface is faster to read than the Georgia typeface. Moreover, it was found that there is no advantage to using bionic reading for texts on paper. Older readers read faster on any medium and in both typefaces in the non-bionic and bionic format. It cannot be stated with certainty whether bionic reading is favourable or not, as the results of comprehension and memorisation do not suggest that they are affected in the same way. Further extensive testing is required. We propose extensive testing with different typefaces and type sizes, including people with dyslexia and ADHD, especially with younger readers to refine the bionic reading applications and understand their impact on enhancing the reading experience.