HUMAN COMPUTER INTERFACE

BY B.LAKSHMI P.S. MADHURI Email Id : gi_blux@yahoo.co.in Email Id :psudhamadhuri@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT
Interacting with automated systems is a routine aspect of daily life, yet existing interfaces to computer systems typically fail to respect the basic dynamics of interpersonal communication. They ignore the natural interface modalities people use--body language, pose, expression, and gestures--and as a result are often found to be awkward or unpleasant. This presentation will explore the use of machine perception techniques to build computer interfaces that are no longer deaf and blind to their users, creating interfaces which can directly perceive a users' state and respond accordingly. Figures of merit (e.g., time, errors, learnability, design for guessing, preference, etc.) The goal of this section is to provide background for this report in terms of some of the major themes and influences that have shaped the field of HCI. In addition, an attempt is made to project some current trends into the near future as a basis for anticipating some of the conditions with which students will be faced upon, or even before, graduation Human-computer interaction arose as a field from intertwined roots in computer graphics, operating systems, human factors, ergonomics, industrial engineering, cognitive psychology, and the systems part of computer science. Computer vision techniques supply us with promising human-computer interaction methods by analysing and
recognising human movements. The process of detection and tracking human body parts is one of the main steps necessary to reach a robust and precise recognition. Nevertheless, this task is rather dif cult, specially when the response from that interaction is required to be in real time

Human-computer interaction arose as a field from intertwined roots in computer graphics, operating systems, human factors, ergonomics, industrial engineering, cognitive psychology, and the systems part of computer science.

Likely Future Developments

The means by which humans interact with computers continues to evolve rapidly. A curriculum in a changing area must be put together with some understanding of the forces shaping the future so that its concepts are not quickly out of date. They must build their own future understanding upon the foundations provided by the courses taken at the time they were students.

Decreasing hardware costs leading to larger memories and faster systems. Miniaturization of hardware leading to portability.

What is HCI?
HCI is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use. Some of HCI disciplines are: Ergonomics Sociology and anthropology Engineering Graphic design Computer science and software engineering Cognitive psychology

Why study HCI?

To get more out of human productivity and efficiency Human cost more than hardware and software costs Human view computers as appliances and want them to perform as appliances Human expect easy to use systems To produce easily understandable UI by heterogeneous groups

Principles of Human-Computer Interface Design:

Recognize Diversity - In order to recognize diversity, you, the designer, must take into account the type of user frequenting your system, ranging from novice user, knowledgeable but intermittent user and expert frequent user. Each type of user expects the screen layout to accommodate their desires, novices needing extensive help, experts wanting to get where they want to go as quickly as possible. Accommodating both styles on the same page can be quite challenging. You can address the differences in users by including both menu or icon choices as well as commands (ie. Command or Control P for Print as well as an icon or menu entry), or providing an option for both full descriptive menus and single letter commands.

Software architecture and standards for interfaces

eg. Look and feel, standardization, interoperability

You Should Use the Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design

1. Strive for consistency 2. Enable frequent users to use shortcuts 3. Offer informative feedback 4. Design dialogs to yield closure 5. Offer error prevention and simple error handling 6. Permit easy reversal of actions 7. Support internal locus of control 8. Reduce short-term memory load

Human Charachteristics
The Human as an information processing system

Memory, motor skills, attention, problem solving, motivation, conceptual models, How humans communicate Syntax, semantics, pragmatics; conversational interaction, specialized languages Physical and psychological requirements

Ergonomics
Historically, Ergonomics was another name for Human Factors. Today, Ergonomics commonly refers to designing work environments for maximizing safety and efficiency. Biometrics and Anthropometrics play a key role in this use of the word Ergonomics. Engineering Psychology often has a specialty dealing with Workplace or Occupational Ergonomics

Computer Characteristics
Input and output devices

Mechanics and characteristics of hardware devices; Monitors, Keyboards, Virtual devices Dialogue techniques

The techniques for interacting with humans Dialogue genre

The conceptual uses to which the technical means are put Computer graphics

Easily understandable actions through graphical representations Dialogue architecture

The Content of Human Computer Interaction

The aim in this section is to inventory the current state of results in the field of human-computer interaction. Our object is to delimit the scope of our concerns and to specify the connections with other fields. The topics in this table derive from a consideration of five interrelated aspects of human-computer interaction: (N) the nature of human-computer interaction, (U) the use and context of computers, (H) human characteristics, (C) computer system and interface architecture, and (D) the development process. Although not content areas, per se, and not discussed in the inventory below, project presentations and examinations (P).

Some of the interrelationships among these topics are represented in Figure 1

Content of HCI
N U The Nature of HCI N1 U1 U2 U3 H H1 H2 H3 C C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 D D1 D2 D3 D4 P (Meta-)Models of HCI Human Social Organization and Work Application Areas Human-Machine Fit and Adaptation Human Information Processing Language, Communication, Interaction Ergonomics Input and Output Devices Dialogue Techniques Dialogue Genre Computer Graphics Dialogue Architecture Design Approaches Implementation Techniques Evaluation Techniques Example Systems and Case Studies Use and Context of Computers

Human Characteristics

Computer System and Interface Architecture

Development Process

Project Presentations and Examinations

Complex dialogues lead into considerations of the systems architecture necessary to support such features as interconnectable application programs, windowing, real-time response, network communications, multi-user and cooperative interfaces, and multi-tasking of dialogue objects (C5). Finally, there is the process of

development which incorporates design (D1) for human-computer dialogues, techniques and tools (D2) for implementing them (D2), techniques for evaluating (D3) them, and a number of classic designs for study (D4). Each of these components of the development process is bound up with the others in a relationship of mutual, reciprocal influence whereby choices made in one area impact upon the choices and the options available in the others. Humancomputer interaction is also called as man-machine interaction (MMI) or computerhuman interaction. It is an interdisciplinary subject, relating computer science with many other fields of study and research. Interaction between users and computers occurs at the user interface (or simply interface), which includes both software and hardware, for example, general purpose computer peripherals and large-scale mechanical systems such as aircraft and power plants. Anthropology is traditionally distinguished from other disciplines by its emphasis on cultural relativity, in-depth examination of context, and cross-cultural comparisons. Anthropology is methodologically diverse using both qualitative methods and quantitative methods. Case studies have historically played a key role in anthropology, for instance in producing ethnographies based on field research.

Nature of Human-Computer Interaction (N)

Overviews of, and theoretical frameworks for , topics in human-computer communication. N1. The Nature of Human-Computer Interaction

Points of view: HCI as communication, agent paradigm, tool paradigm, the work-centered point of view, human/system/tasks division, supervisory control Objectives (e.g. productivity, user empowerment)

Use and Context of Computers

The uses to which computers are put are spoken of as 'applications' in the computer world. These uses and the extent to which the interface Moreover, the general social, work, and business context may be important.

In addition to technical requirements, an interface may have to satisfy quality-of-work-life goals of a labor union or meet legal constraints on "look and feel"

FIGURE 1. Human-Computer Interaction

U1. Social Organization and Work This heading relates to the human as an interacting social being. It includes a concern with the nature of work, and with the notion that human systems and technical systems. Points of view (e.g., industrial engineering, operations research,)

Models of human activity (e.g., opportunistic planning, open procedures) Socio-technical systems, human organizations as adaptive open systems, mutual impact of computer systems on work and vice versa, computer systems for group tasks, case studies

U2. Application Areas The focus of this section is on classes of application domains and particular application areas where characteristic interfaces have developed. Characterization of application areas (e.g., individual vs. group) Communications-oriented interfaces: Electronic mail, computer conferencing, telephone and voice messaging systems U3. Human-Machine Fit and Adaptation Part of the purpose of design is to arrange a fit between the designed object Adjustments can be made (1) either at design time or at time of use (2) by either changing the system or the user and (3) the changes can be made by either the users themselves or, sometimes, by the system.

Alternate techniques for achieving fit . User selection: compatibilities of user and system characteristics .

Human Characteristics (H)

H1. Human Information Processing Characteristics of the human as a processor of information.

Models of cognitive architecture: symbol-system models, connectionist models, engineering models Phenomena and theories of memory Human diversity, including disabled populations

H2. Language, Communication and Interaction

Aspects of language: syntax, semantics, pragmatics

Formal models of language

H3. Ergonomics

Temperature and environmental noise issues Arrangement of displays and controls, link analysis Human cognitive and sensory limits

Computer System and Interface Architecture

Machines have specialized components for interacting with humans. the basically transducers for moving information physically between human and machine. C1. Input and Output Devices The technical construction of devices for mediating between humans and machines. Input devices: survey, mechanics of particular devices, performance characteristics Output devices: survey, mechanics of particular devices, vector devices, raster devices, frame buffers and image stores Characteristics of input/output devices:(e.g., weight, portability, bandwidth, sensory modality) C2. Dialogue Techniques The basic software architecture and techniques for interacting with humans. Dialogue Inputs: Input techniques: keyboard techniques (e.g, commands, menus), mouse-based techniques (e.g., picking, rubber-band lines), pen-based techniques (e.g., character recognition, gesture), voice-based techniques Dialogue Outputs:

Output techniques (e.g., scrolling display, windows, animation, sprites, fish-eye displays) Multimedia and non-graphical dialogues: speech input, speech output, voice mail, video mail, active documents, videodisc, CD-ROM Multi-person dialogues

Dialogue Interaction Techniques:

Dialogue Issues: Real-time response issues "Look and feel," intellectual property protection

C3. Dialogue Genre The conceptual uses to which the technical means are put. Such concepts arise in any media discipline (e.g., film, graphic design, etc.).

Interaction metaphors (e.g., tool metaphor, agent metaphor) Content metaphors (e.g., desktop metaphor, paper document metaphor) Persona, personality, point of view Workspace models Transition management (e.g., fades, pans) Relevant techniques from other media (e.g., film, theater, graphic design) Style and aesthetics

C4. Computer Graphics Basic concepts from computer graphics that are especially useful to know for HCI.

Graphics primitives and attributes: bitmap and voxel representations, raster-op, 2-D primitives, text primitives, polygon representation, 3-D primitives, quadtrees and octtrees, device independent images, page definition languages

C5. Dialogue Architecture Software architectures and standards for user interfaces.

Window manager models (e.g., Shared address-space, client-server), analysis of major window systems (e.g., X, New Wave, Windows, Open Look, Presentation Manager, Macintosh) Multi-user interface architectures "Look and feel" Standardization and interoperability

Development Process
The construction of human interfaces is both a matter of design and engineering. These topics are concerned with the methodology and practice of interface design. D1. Design Approaches The process of design. Relevant topics from other design disciplines.

Graphic design basics (e.g., design languages, typography, use of color, 2D & 3D spatial organization, temporal sequencing, etc.) Task analysis techniques (e.g., field studies, analytical methods), task allocation, market analysis Design specification techniques Design analysis techniques (e.g., objects and actions) Industrial design basics

D2. Implementation Techniques and Tools Tactics and tools for implementation

Relationships among design, evaluation, and implementation Independence and reusability, application independence, device independence Prototyping techniques (e.g., storyboarding, video, "Wizard of Oz", HyperCard, rapid prototype implementations)

Branches of anthropology
Physical anthropology

Cultural anthropology Linguistic anthropology, Archaeology

D3. Evaluation Techniques Philosophy and specific methods for evaluations

Productivity

D4. Example Systems and Case Studies Classic designs to serve as extended examples of human interface design. Command-oriented: Graphics-oriented

The topics listed in this chapter constitute an attempt to inventory the results of HCI and its supporting fields that are available for teaching. HCI as a field is continuing to develop rapidly. It is expected, therefore, that the above topics will undergo change as new results occur and as our understanding of the area deepens.

APPLICATIONS

- Task analysis
- Usability paradigms and principles - Hypertext, multimedia and the World Wide Web - Groupware

- Dialog notations and design - The design process - CSCW and social issues

CONCLUSION
Interaction models help us to understand what is going on in the interaction between user and system. They address the translations between what the user wants and what the system does. Ergonomics looks at the physical characteristics of the interaction and how these influence its effectiveness. The dialog between user and system is influenced by the style of the interface.The interaction takes place within a social and organizational context which affects both user and system User interface management systems are the final level of programming support tools, allowing the designer and programmer to control the relationship between the presentation objects of a toolkit with their functional semantics in the actual application Programming tools for interactive systems provide a means of effectively translating abstract designs and usability principles into an executable form. These tools provide different levels of services for the programmer.

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