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Interfaces in Sci-Fi
Interfaces are, simply put, ways for users to interact with systems. Sci-Fi, not being constrained of immediate reality, is allowed to freely conceive new designs and means of interaction. They are not only fascinating, but ultimately they end up enriching our real life by being a driving force for technological progress. Probably the first famous interface that was perceived at its true value was the one in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The control panels filled with sensors represented both software and hardware novelties. The actual look felt very clean with clear separations between multiple types of data and displays. Color coding is also an interesting feature, and, come to think of it, we don't really see that in operating systems or apps today. Star Trek does not miss intuitiveness, as, for example, we can see in the transporter room: the operator there uses an analog control instead of pressing some buttons, even if the whole functional and graphical theme is digital.
Fig. 1 - Star Trek interface
(source: LCARSCom.net)
In fact, the source of Fig.1 is a site called LCARSCom.net1, which specializes in showing certain database information using this specific interface. LCARS stands for "Library Computer Access and Retrieval System" (the system used aboard Federation starships in Star Trek). Star Trek also popularized holograms as a daily-use feature. Holograms would be too complex to cover in this one article - even if we haven't really achieved such technological progress there are breakthroughs in this field even as we speak. An interesting mention would be that of the movie Minority Report which acts as a kind of pseudo-3D interface and which can be, at least theoretically, implemented with current technology (see the "SixthSense" project2).
In Stargate SG-1, we meet the Asgard, a technologically advanced race, which also presents an interesting interface, based not on explicit functionality but on creating specific combinations by activating certain input nodes through 'stones'.
Fig. 2 - Asgard 'stones'
(source: Stargate Wiki)
Such an input method would probably be harder to learn (and less intuitive for that matter) but has the advantage of compressing a lot of functionality in a single view (e.g. a control panel). The feedback which the user received from such a system, at least in the tv show, compensated through user-friendliness, but most importantly precise output. This is veridical because, in a hypothetical implementation of such a system, even if the user has increased control and more features at his disposal, the capacity to absorb information is still limited. But this is also why such an implementation would be harder to do than others since it would require a lot more engineering experience at a global level and a clear definition of the equilibrium between explicit and implicit choices of both user and system.
Star Wars presents a specific interface as well, but it seems to pale in front of the communication technology. They involve interfaces as well, but in a less technical manner, emphasizing the actual content of the communication. Holograms range from pre-recorded messages to live and highly flexible 3D representations. They were even used in war rooms (see Attack of the Clones) for an accurate tactical display. Communication has such a major role that droids help pilots fly ships acting as an interface between them and the navigational systems; it would be interesting to note the positive psychological aspects of using such personalizable 'translators'.
Fig. 3 - Tactical hologram
(source: Wookieepedia)
We can't forget to mention the latest movie sensation at the time of writing this article: Avatar. Being itself a 3D popularizer, it doesn't conceptually introduce other technological breakthroughs than the ones mentioned where interfaces are concerned, but it succeeds at uniting them all in a realistic context - we can see holograms, modern handheld devices and immense mobile/immobile structures which are based on adequate design decisions.
In conclusion, it's interesting to see how pure progress does not blind new concepts, user experience being an important part of Sci-Fi (and R&D) as well. The very popularity of Sci-Fi demands a realistic quality from any portrayed breakthrough, bringing us one step closer to the future.
Resources:
- LCARS - http://lcarscom.net
- SixthSense - http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/
Intelligent Interfaces
The fact that droids act as an interface with the ship navigation system in Star Wars is taken from real life. Modern jets are so complex that without the aid of an automated system to help steer it, flying would be impossible.
Perhaps the future of human-machine interfaces will not be more complex interfaces, but more intelligent ones. What if interfaces don't get more intuitive for us, but more intelligent from the machine perspective? What if we switch from human-machine interfaces to machine-human interfaces?
As machines get more and more complex I think this is the way to go. Indeed, jet fighter pilots have complained that their interface has gotten so complex that it's hard to steer and aim. I think we should change our view from dumb machines controlled by knobs and switches to more intelligent ones that do not necessarily require an input method, but can more or less deduce what we want them to do.
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