A Look To The Future
Next-Generation User Interfaces
By: John Garcia
Current User Interface
• Most of our current setups for our computers are still traditional mouse and
keyboard while mobile devices/tablets have moved a step towards a touch
screen. Some minor modifications towards our current set up is just simply
making the keyboard and mouse wireless.
Challenges
• There are many concerns when it comes down to designing interfaces. First,
is that many individuals have a variety of preferences (text messaging versus
voice communication). Another big issue is coming to the face if its in
ergonomic nature; comfortable to use.
Touch-Screen
• Mobile devices have come a large way coming down from the early generation of
giant brick phones to now-a-days smartphones (iPhone, Android, Windows).
Speaking of a touch screen back in those times would have been a crazy idea, but
you can see how much further we’ve come. Even with touch-screen devices the
clients have many different preferences via smartphones or tablets. Smartphones
have a simple one-touch command while multi-touch features are very open minded
for tablets. An issue with multi-touch is that its not comfortable to extend our arms
for prolong periods hence why many companies expanded to devices like large
interactive surfaces.
Voice Recognition
• Voice recognition is already an available interface, but it is not perfected and
needs necessary improvement to make it a much more viable. Most
computers know simple basic voice commands, but can’t hold an everyday
conversation. Artificial intelligence is being created as we speak by
researchers to further develop and help computers understand speech and
writing.
The “Kinect”
• Microsoft revealed a device known as the “Kinect” for their home
entertainment console the Xbox One. The “Kinect” is a very sophisticated
device that is capable of capturing and reading the movements of the user in
real time. It’s capable of displaying those readings into any of the software
specified for the “Kinect”, but also it’s capable to capturing gestures as well
and voice commands.
Virtual Reality
• As technology has advanced so has the concept of ‘virtual reality’. The
Oculus Rift brings back that concept as technology has been advancing and
are in the right steps of putting the user in an interactive virtual world. While
the Oculus Rift is still in its testing stages a lot of the examples it has
displayed is the possibility within the grasp of the future.
Google Glass
• Google has taken upon themselves to creating glasses which can interact like
a smartphone. Being capable of taking phone calls, or pulling up Google
maps on command. The computer is at the tip of your fingers just right in
front of your eyes as you are walking out into the world with glasses. For
more updates for the Google Glass click here.
Virtual Holograms
In the world of Marvel (comic book
universe) the character Tony Stark, Iron
Man, is a very intelligent and brilliant man.
He has the capability of creating 3D
holographic interface that he is capable of
interacting with and capable of connecting
with the world’s internet and computer.
Someday in our future we will be looking at
same thing being possible.
Resources
• Textbook:
O'Leary, T. J., O'Leary, L. I., & O'Leary, D. A. (2015).
Computing essentials 2015. (25th ed., p. 78). 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY
10121: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Images:
Google.com and Bing.com