Human Computer Interaction (HCI)

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

• HCI studies how people interact with computers.
• It explores the degree to which computers are developed for successful human interaction.
• HCI involves differentiating and understanding the use of graphics and multimedia.
• It appreciates the interaction between humans and technology.
• HCI includes the basic definition of Intellectual Property and its relevance within Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Two Sides of HCI

• UX (User Experience) Design and Interaction Design focus on creating technologies that positively impact people's lives.

User Interaction

• Users directly interact with hardware devices, which in turn offer human input and output, like displays.
• Input/output hardware examples include the mouse, keyboard and monitor.
• Another form of human interaction includes human involvement with software interfaces using provided input/output hardware.

HCI Elements

• HCI involves human senses like sight and hearing, for aspects like displays and positional audio.
• HCI also uses human actuators with devices like keyboards and gamepads
• It considers elements like integrated circuits, the kernel space, and the software itself.

Goals of HCI

• To produce usable and safe systems, as well as functional systems
• To allow developers to understand the factors that determine how people use technology.
• To develop tools and techniques to enable building suitable systems.

HCI's Core Concept

• HCI focuses on what people aim to achieve, understanding who they are, and grasping their objectives.

Computing Machines

• The two types of computing machines are Specialized Boxes and Embedded

Specialized Boxes

• These hardware devices are specialized computers and although like general-purpose computers, only perform specific tasks (e.g., gaming consoles).

Embedded Systems

• Embedded systems combine computer hardware and software for a specific function.
• They operate as part of a larger device

Types of User Interface

• User Interface (UI) is where humans interact with computers, websites, or applications.
• The UI includes Graphical UI, Command Line Interface and Multimedia

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

• GUI features interactive visual components for computer software.
• It displays objects that convey information.
• These objects' color, size, or visibility change when interacted with.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

• CLI example is from the FreeDOS application.

Multimedia User Interface (MUI)

• MUI computer interfaces communicate through multiple media platforms.

Future Interfaces

• Include virtual reality, voice UI, gesture-based, and touch-based interfaces.
• The interfaces may contain haptic (tactile), multimodal and smell and taste capabilities

Haptics

• Haptics is the use of technology that stimulates touch and motion senses.
• It reproduces sensations for remote operation or computer simulations.
• Haptics is defined as a science and technology for transmitting and understanding information through touch.
• Haptics technologies provide feedback for user movements represented by the computer.

Virtual Reality

• It creates the illusion of participation in a synthetic environment instead of observing an external one.
• Virtual Reality systems use headets and input devices such as joysticks
• VR provides immersive experiences via interaction with virtual objects, 360-degree views, auditory and haptic feedback
• It can offer first- or third-person perspectives.

Voice UI

• Involves speaking to an application or device in a natural language.
• Users use voice to ask questions or give commands.
• Sometimes the UI is proactive.
• Voice UI problems include mishearing and security risks.
• Examples: Siri by Apple, Amazon Alexa devices.

Gesture-Based Systems

• Requires the use of hands and arms to interact
• Potential issues in their implementation can be different natural gestures per activity or context, cultural differences and having systems delineate gestures.

Touch-Based Systems

• Interaction initiated via direct physical contact with a screen, which the computer then responds to.
• Touchbased Examples: ATMs, cameras, mobile phones, LCD touch screens

Impact of HCI

• HCI enriches daily activities, bolsters business/industry, helps those with disabilities, and makes software successful and useful.
• Provides useful user interfaces for untrained users.

Examples of HCI

• 1873: QWERTY keyboard by Christopher Latham Sholes
• 1946: ENIAC, "the birth of a giant brain"
• 1952: Trackball of DATAR
• 1967: Gaming joystick
• 1968: Virtual reality
• 1972: Multi-touch tech
• 1984: 3D printing
• 1998: Smart watch
• 2006: Wii
• 2011: Google voice search apps
• 2016: DEXMO exoskeleton
• 2018 and beyond: Multisensory BCI