The document discusses the history and evolution of human-computer interfaces from early mechanical switches to modern touchscreens, voice assistants, virtual and augmented reality. It notes that while technology has advanced greatly, good interface design must still prioritize usability, clarity and putting the human user first. Emerging areas discussed include mid-air haptics, brain-computer interfaces, and the growing importance of interfaces as a driver of innovation across many industries.

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CONFIDENTIAL Template Innovation Day 2019CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCED HUMAN INTERFACES:
THE UNDERESTIMATED ENABLER FOR INNOVATION
Bert Braeckman
Consultant PhysicsLab
bert.braeckman@verhaert.com
TRACK 5
MyTechnology

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INTRODUCTION
All interfaces have as main goal to make
information sharing more easy.
Input
Output
Feedback
Interface
Control

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ABOUT SLIDESHOWS
Greek agora Stained glass
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

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SIMPLE INTERFACES
mechanical switch
• Goal = make information exchange easy & efficient.

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FIRST COMPUTERS: BATCH INTERFACE
• First computers had limited computing power
• Interfaces were considered overhead
• No real time interaction
Keypunch Punched cards batch interface

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APOLLO GUIDANCE COMPUTER

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COMMAND-LINE INTERFACE
• Decrease in turnaround time from days to seconds
Teleprinter MS-DOS
• Rise of video displays → reduced latency → bottleneck is not the technology anymore... but the user itself!

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DOUGLAS ENGELBART (1968)
• Number crunching → information sharing & communication
• ‘Mother of all demos’:
• Graphical user interface
• Text processing (word)
• Hyperlinks
• Windows
• Video conferencing
First mouse

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IVAN SUTHERLAND (1963)
SketchPad
• First interactive ‘tablet’
• Predecessor of computer graphics & CAD

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1970s – 1980s
First ‘personal’ computer:
Xerox Alto (1973)
WYSIWYG
Steve Jobs (1984)

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GUIDELINES FOR UI DESIGN

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WHY ARE ADVANCED INTERFACES NEEDED?
• We live in a complex world where everything is measured & monitored.
• There is need for smart interfaces that filter the data & present the user with
the required information on the right time & in the right format
earth observation & weather modellingsatellite navigation

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GUIDELINES FOR UI DESIGN
Clarity
Interface
Concision
Familiarity
Responsiveness
EfficiencyForgiveness
Aesthetics
Experience

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UI FAILURES
Nokia N Gage
OQO Model 1 Feasibility Utility Desirability Usability Allowance
Differentiating capacity
Think human centered, technology enabled,
and business focused.

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THE BEST INTERFACES ARE AROUND US
Knobs
Buttons
Switches
Levers and handles
→ Digital interfaces use the same language

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“User interfaces are like jokes. If you have to
explain them, they are not good.”
Martin Leblanc, iconfinder.com

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INTUITIVENESS VS. LEARNING
• Keyboards:
Tactile
WYSIWYG
Feedback
You have to learn how to type
Good interfaces are not always intuitive
& can have a learning curve

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TOUCH SCREENS VS. KEYBOARDS
E. Hoggan et al., ‘Investigating the effectiveness of tactile feedback
mobile touchscreens, CHI Proc. (2008) 1573
Touch screens offer flexibility and allow for slim products
Not (yet) tactile enough
Not good for typing text
Cannot be used everywhere

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VOICE INTERFACES
Hands-free, no visual cues needed → safer in many applications
When they are implemented smart → very efficient interface
When not implemented well → user frustration & rejection
Amazon Echo Dot 3

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VOICE INTERFACES
Discoverable
Voice
Interface
Predictable
Accessible
Flexible
Visible
Privacy
• Voice interfaces are still not that mainstream → they are difficult to design

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“Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.”
Arthur C. Clarke (1973)

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MODERN ERA
Minority Report (2002)
A good interface must not look
cool, it must be practical to use.

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GESTURES
Structured light cameraNintendo Wii
User experience
Users lack self-awareness
Social acceptance
Hardware is ready
Software is ready

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FEEDBACK

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FEEDBACK
• Feedback improves the efficiency and user experience.
• Touch screens & gesture interfaces lack tactility.
• Haptic feedback (haptikos = to be able to touch)
Tactile display (Paul Bach-y-Rita, 1960) Vibrating phone (Bell Labs, 1970) Aura Interactor
force-feedback vest (1990)
sound
visualtouch

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HAPTIC FEEDBACK
Contact haptics Non-contact haptics

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MID-AIR HAPTIC FEEDBACK
Disney Aireal
Air vortices
Focused ultrasound

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MID-AIR HAPTIC FEEDBACK
Adaptive circle
Hand scan
Rotating point (dial) Constant circle

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MID-AIR HAPTIC FEEDBACK
responds to acoustic
pressure ~ 200 Hz

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APPLICATIONS OF MID-AIR HAPTIC FEEDBACK
MARKETS AND MARKETS: The haptic technology
market is expected to be valued at USD 19.55
Billion by 2022. Applications: Automotive &
Transportation, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare,
Gaming, Engineering, Education & Research
IdTechEx: The report finds that the
haptics industry will be worth
$2.8bn by 2027. Markets:
consumer electronics, medical,
automotive, home appliance
OBRC: The global haptics technology market is
anticipated to reach $29.84 Billion by 2022. Significant
applications in smartphones, tablets, wearables, gaming
devices of haptic technology is set to drive the global
haptic technology market for the forecasted period.

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MID-AIR HAPTIC FEEDBACK @
Haptic asteroids Home appliance demo

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IMMERSIVE INTERFACES

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IMMERSIVE INTERFACES
Sensorama (Morton Heilig, 1962)
• Combination of:

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ORIGINS OF VR
‘The sword of Damocles’ (1968)
Ivan Sutherland

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VR OVER THE YEARS
VR in the 1990s VR in 2019

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VR HEADSETS TODAY
Increase in field of view, resolution
Decrease in cost
ResolutionField of view
Usability problems

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VR INTERFACE DESIGN
• Tethered vs. untethered
• Motion controller vs. remote detection
• User context & usability
• Object interaction: selection & manipulation
• Navigation: travel & wayfinding
• System control: motion controller, gestures or voice
VR interface design aspects

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AUGMENTED REALITY
EyeTap Smart Glasses (Steve Mann)
Smartphone AR Smart glasses
Less intrusive than VR
More application domains

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AR APPLICATIONS
Healthcare, medicine
Industry 4.0 assist
Military HUD
Education, entertainment, life

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AR APPLICATIONS
Industry, assembly, engineering, education

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AR @
Polygon 360° scanner

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THE FUTURE

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UP-AND-COMING
Touch surfaces everywhere
Smart glasses will be accepted

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THE FUTURE
Brain – Machine interfaces
Brain – Brain interfaces

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CONCLUSIONS
No matter how different the
technology, the people who
are using it haven’t changed.

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Our services are marketed through 5 brands each addressing
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