Human–Machine Interaction in Automation (II): Advanced Concepts and Interfaces

Abstract

The design of advanced human–machine interfaces (HMIs) is actually a multidisplinary problem needing the cooperation of experts on human cognition, display technologies, graphics, software design, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, etc. One can say that design of an HMI is more an art than a science. As we already know, the goal of designing efficient HMI components in automated systems is to improve operational efficiency and overall productivity while providing a safe, comfortable and satisfying front-end for the operator or user. To this end, the capabilities, the limitations and the ‘idioms’ of the human operator should be analyzed and taken into account for the HMI design. The fundamental concepts and the basic human interface devices have been presented in the previous chapter. Our aim here is to discuss the graphical user interfaces (GUIs), the static and dynamic visual displays, a number of further design features of visual displays, and some advanced HMIs, namely intelligent HMIs, natural language HMIs, multi-modal HMIs, HMIs for knowledge-based systems, and force sensing/tactile-based HMIs.