Just the beginning…
With all the talk of multi-touch, surface computing, and mobile technology, let’s think, for a moment, where we’re all headed. Given the fact that we are all gadget geeks and give the fact that most of us will use Windows until we’re old and gray, we need to start talking about future interfaces that might supplant the standard OS entirely, multi-touch or no. Thankfully, Microsoft and Apple are already on that road — some are further than others — but I worry that we’re going to get lost in the rush to multi-touch, the “desktop metaphor” of our era, and forget some other interesting developments.
Interfaces, be they keyboard, touchscreen, or anything else under the sun, are a way to convert physical intent into computer commands. We could — and often do — control computers with piano keyboards, guitar strings, and bird feeders (bird on feeder - 1, bird off feeder - 0. Might make for some good fractals). But after playing with speech recognition, I’m convinced we shouldn’t be touching our computers at all. These, I feel, are the next big step in PC UI
3D space manipulation - Where the desktop metaphor changed the way we do office work, the 3D space metaphor will change the way we engineer. Virtual reality has come a long way since the days of Lawnmower Man and I honestly believe the next step in the “surface” computing metaphor is to remove the surface. Real time manipulation of forms — be they car models or circuit boards — will change the way we think about space. I haven’t seen much in this direction yet, but CAD coupled with 3D hologram imaging would be a killer app for engineers.
am I missing something? where is the news story here/? reallyyyy boring.
@ #1 Yep, I think you’re missing a brain.
The point isn’t that much the news story than the interesting insight into UI trends that will most probably affect the way you work & live in the digital era for the 50 - 60 years you probably still have to live…
I agree with John that exploring other forms of computer input than the mouse / keyboard / desktop metaphor will revolutionize the way we work & play. I’m longing for that iron-man like engineering design interface
What is with people and this site lately? DONT COME HERE if you don’t like the articles, its as simple as that.
“give the fact that most of us will use Windows until we’re old and gray”
Fucking idiot…
Mike-
A great company out of Israel called Omek Interactive has a cool UI. Friends of mine know the founders and have seen the live demo, they say it is unreal. They may just have the answer to the future of UI that doesnt require a keyboard, mouse, controller and the like but just a simple web cam.
(I am in no way connected to the company)
http://www.omekinteractive.com/
Sorry John not Mike.
Speech recognition as a “mainstream” interface is dead and will remain dead. The closest we may get to it is if it is possible to achieve reliable recognition based on sub-vocalization (i.e. “speaking” without sound). Look at most office landscapes, and ask yourself how it would be if everyone was talking to their computers.
More importantly, I may talk faster than I write when I speak a natural language, but not when I try to enter commands or tell a computer something.
As for 3D surface manipulation, it may be useful for a lot of things, but most of us are not manipulating 3D objects, and while there may be some limited use of 3D surface manipulation in a “normal” interface, to move documents for example, they largely will require large surfaces to be effective. My laptop screen is too small - I keep windows maximized and use virtual desktops to switch between applications. I can manipulate that far faster with a key combination than if I had to lift my hands from the keyboard.
Even touch is overrated - if I have to lift my hands from the keyboard it slows me down. If I use an on screen keyboard it gets smudged and I miss the tactile feedback. I’ve gotten to the point where I much prefer my laptop trackpad than a “real” mouse for that matter.
@Linux - well said.
3D space navigation with surface interface - stuff kids are already doing in schools - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFsxev-2sk
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I’m curious when the usability gurus will notice the advent of multi-touch and begin rethinking how programs are designed.
@Moshe - exactly. and what happens when it goes 3D? Try using photoshop in real space.
“most of us will use Windows until we’re old and gray”
I am 17 and proud MacOSX and Ubuntu user.
M$ is for retards like you who don’t know better.
@buttmunch retards? C’mon. Interesting gadget.
Ryan
lessons in brevity: http://www.mofata.com
@ButtMunch. I’m glad you’re so proud of yourself for not using Windows. That doesn’t change the fact that John is probably right.
“But after playing with speech recognition, I’m convinced we shouldn’t be touching our computers at all. These, I feel, are the next big step in PC UI”
This reference to speech recognition usage is for dictation of long texts (e.g. article) in an interactive manner with constant review of the result and fixing things and putting punctuations via a keyboard. This cannot be the future interface for our computers. You should differentiate between the minor tasks that speech analytics can contribute and full interaction.
True innovation, that would lead to surpassing the dominant menu driven paradigm for the desktop, won’t occur solely in the form of new devices, as outstanding the interactions that they enable may be. It will happen when the UI ‘learns’ from these devices and is able to adapt to what each of them has to offer.
Therefore I can’t see the future of HMI to be driven towards one form of interaction or another, but rather as the unification of devices in a coherent environment; It wouldn’t be wise to get rid of the mouse and the keyboard, because they have proven to be effective, but new additions that enhanced interaction would always be welcomed.
Remember Minority Report? Tom Cruise moving windows by moving his hand?
Gesture recognition (see clip below) is getting quite advanced
http://tech-talk.biz/2008/05/2…..ty-report/
So why instead of Microsoft copying the iPhone interface, they do not just add gesture recognition? Wouldn’t Touchless be better than Touch computing? Think of controlling your TV screen and Media Center from your sofa without a remote..
I think that the future of interfaces will increasingly be based upon gestures and movement (head, arms, torso and legs). Game controllers are leading the way along with developments in robotics and, as mentioned above, multitouch. Plus, intentions, expressed through thoughts alone will play an increasingly important role in controlling a range of devices as a result of on-going medical and scientific experiments.
I put together this list of video resources about 2 months ago to support my premise of where I think new interfaces are heading:
http://tinyurl.com/4pa8z3
I gave-up on PCs just 3 months ago after 2 decades. The PC guy on the mac commercial just wore me down and I gave-up!