The Future Computer 6

[ajetrumpet]

Anyone want to comment on the computer environment that we saw in "Minority Report"? The stock market wizards seem to think that this is the next big step for interface. Anyone think we'll get there soon? An interface based on the user's hand motions?? I see voice recognition as the next "kick", that still has a long way to go, like the "Demolition Man" movie!

-J

 

[strongm]

I don't think I'd rely on "Loose Change" as an information source. But that's probably just me.

 

[Sympology]

John, could be worse, if it was Linux, people would argue for months on who's steering wheel was the best and you'd spend 6 months trying every garage you know to fit the crankshaft, either that or strip down the engine to fit it yourself...

<flame on!>

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[jsteph]

It is my first post. Let me know if it was worth reaing

None of use are perfect, so don't take this wrong, but posts are much easier to read if you take a bit of time to spellcheck.

But on the subject of the post, that is an interesting concept,
--Jim

 

[Sympology]

Oh no, we're picking up on spelling now, I'm dooooooomed

Actually what he saying is not that difficult. Years and years ago some company (may of been Cheetah) in the UK may a synth that used phontetics. You then played it back using a midi sequencer to make sentances.

I often chop up IVR's for phone systems to make completely new menus and messages.
So with the money .gov has, it wouldn't suprise me at all.

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[wahnula]

None of use are perfect, so don't take this wrong, but posts are much easier to read if you take a bit of time to spellcheck

Oh no, we're picking up on spelling now, I'm dooooooomed

In the future, all browsers will have a spell-check feature built in to point out spelling errors automatically...of wait, it's already here. Firefox has an integrated spell-check by default. Helps me to avoid typos, and while it's pretty lame at times at least it pinpoints words that don't match its dictionary, which is customizable to overlook words it doesn't know like "chipset" and "StuReeves"

And, on topic, I think the vehicle is the next logical computer platform. While autos have been taking advantage of computer technology for decades, interaction between the car's computers and the driver has been minimal.

I can visualize the car's integration into the home/work/mobile market as the next "killer app" for the industry.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[harebrain]

...of wait, it's already here. Firefox has an integrated spell-check by default. Helps me to avoid typos, and while it's pretty lame at times

Evidently.

 

[wahnula]

Good one harebrain!



I will admit I'm the lamest typist, I should have paid attention in high school typing class. I never imagined I'd need it. I figured my secretary would handle all the typing...

I've just added "harebrain" to my dictionary...and deleted "of".

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[SQLSister]

Tony, I didn't take typing becasue women who knew how to type were only offered clerical jobs back in those days. Who knew I'd need it later? I did teach typing a couple of times. Told the school director I didn't type well or fast when she assigned me the class and her response was, "Just follow the book and don't type in front of the students."

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[linsysadmin]

IMHO, the future of computer input lies in optimization of what's already there:

The keyboard exists and is ubiquitous - talk about market share. This isn't like windows vs. Linux - everything has a keyboard and they are all basically the same (let's leave out the subject of keymaps, OK?). Therefore, a totally new input interface, completely divergent from this basic technology is kinda hard to envision.

As far as I know, all of the computer admin work (not word processing but coding, command-line work, debugging, etc) up to this time is completely keyboard-based. I can hardly imagine a superuser logged into a linux mainframe trusting some voice-recognition app to get the options just right as he has his kernel reread the partition table on an active volume which contains partitions which are very important not ever be unmounted.

Then again, some of the most efficient manipulation of objects occurs at the text interface: ever seen an efficient admin hammer away at a config file with vim? Or how about bash, with its myriad shortcuts and symbology? Compare that with a windows gamer clicking away at a civilization or warcraft screen to move units around and you get where I'm going with this.

If you look at a pro graphics designer on the other hand, he does all operations with keyboard shortcuts, and yet 80 percent of his time is spent selecting the objects he works with and positioning his layers where he wants them.

From this, I see that the main bottleneck in interfaces is not rally the fact that we use a sequential series of characters or key-combinations to interface with a computer, but rather that the control of objects from this medium is not complete - you need to continually disconnect your hand from the keyboard to reach over and wiggle the mouse around.

I like the idea of projecting the keyboard map on a table and sensing as the user executes a "key-press" in 3D space. Exactly. Only a few new key combos need be created, like selecting and de-selecting for instance, and the user is able to then just slide his hands across the KEYBOARD and move the object, without taking his hand off the interface which he uses to control the computer.

Sure, you'll still see a mouse on the screen, but with a little interface work to more clearly show what objects are selected, you could create something like a massive touchpad across all of the keys. But - there's gaps in the keys, you say. Exactly.

Slide a finger or two across the keyboard and the mouse shifts across the screen. When it hovers over what you want, you give it a key combo, like super-esc (super is the "windows" key) to select, super-esc to deselect. Do it twice fast and you just double clicked. So it's selected. You slide horizontally across a row of keys: the object only moves horizontally. Now we have precision! I remember when I was a kid and someone let me play with something resembling paint in mac. It was excruciating to actually draw the shape you were trying to draw - we have reached the end of the mouse (joysticks? forget it..).

You can already do similar things in linux. I use gnome with compiz fusion. ctrl-alt-arrow and I shift desktop. ctrl-alt-t and I get a terminal. ctrl-alt-w and I get firefox. ctrl-alt-m and I get mail. ctrl-alt-u and I get music. super-e and I get an expose' of my windows, alt-tab, ctrl-tab, ctrl-t, etc etc.

But it's not complete and it's still neanderthal. The ideal interface, as I see it, is a single surface where a standard, and studiedly economical series of hand motions and key presses, controls the computer on a basic level. Implemented right, you don't need to add voice recognition (as a kernel module, ha ha ha ha ha) or train someone into some weird sign language or martial art like Minority Report (I know comp-fu and fu-jitsu!) so he can move photos around on a computer screen.

Until the neural interface comes along, it's probable that this is the direction we are heading.

 

[wahnula]

"Just follow the book and don't type in front of the students."

LOL that's a good one...

Tony

Users helping Users...