Put the human back into HMI

20 October 2004 Switches, Relays & Keypads

As people become more integrated with their machines by sight, sound and touch, the need for user-friendly control panels becomes crucial.

New HMI innovations like wireless and voice-activated headsets allow users to move between machines or control them from hundreds of metres away; users can retrieve even more data from their machines when coupled to new software/hardware-based systems that use multimedia interfaces and touchscreen displays. But are there any drawbacks?

When human machine interface systems become increasingly more complex, the need for well-designed controls becomes more important too. Put another way, it is important that creators of HMI architecture do not forget the 'human' element from the equation.

Virtual environments where users scroll through commands on screen can be complicated and time-consuming to navigate, particularly for repetitive actions. They are unresponsive too, providing no reassuring tactile-feedback for the operators to indicate their status, touchscreen visibility can be a problem in poor light conditions.

EAO believes that the cornerstone of good HMI design is still at the point of contact between the user and machine. If a function is controlled by an illuminated pushbutton, for example, the operator can quickly establish the status of a control by looking for a particular coloured light.

So EAO's message is simple: when purchasing a new HMI system, please remember the human who has to use it.

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