Haptic and Motion-Based Computing

Human-Computer Interface The first question is what the definition of haptic feedback and why it is needed. The second is to define the various types of human memory and the impact of the same on the human/computer interface. The third is to describe the potential outcomes of not using consistency in the human/computer interface. The fourth question is to summarize the steps of the user-centric design process. Finally, the role of human motion in the design of the human/computer interface shall be articulated.

All of the questions above will be answered using no less than four scholarly resources. Haptic Feedback Haptic feedback is when a computer or system provides feedback that is something other than visual in nature when something occurs. One of the more pervasive examples of this in motion in a modern context is the slight vibration that a smartphone gives when a button on the phone is pressed.

Rather than just, or sometimes instead of depending on the features and configuration, a phone will noticeably vibrate when a button is pressed so as to provide feedback that that the input was received. The "back" button on the Galaxy S4 (and many other phones) would be a good example of a real-world iteration of haptic feedback (MobileBurn, 2014).

That all being said, haptic feedback is sometimes just a feedback/preference sort of thing but sometimes it is very necessary as it is a non-visual means to provide feedback and this can matter greatly if the user of a phone or other device with haptic feedback enabled is blind. Other times, it is simply something to enhance the experience. Vibration feedback on game controllers would be an example of this. Haptic feedback is often referred to as "haptics" and the two terms are interchangeable (MobileBurn, 2014).

As for the different types of memory, there are basically five different types. Those four types are procedural memory, emotional memory, semantic/episodic memory and procedural memory. Computers that are designed to interact with humans on any level, which is all computers directly or indirectly, are designed to resemble and become human interface devices, or HID's for short. These devices take on many different forms such as microphones, keyboards, touchscreens and biometric scanners.

All of these input devices have one or more purposes that allow a person to interact with, input information into and extract information from a computer. Humans must harness their memory to interface with and harness computers and the computer is designed, in a much more procedural and static form, obviously, to interact with the person or persons interacting with it at any given time. As far as how lack of consistency can hurt the human/computer interface, the implications and bad outcomes are not all that hard to see.

A computer must output the same result for the same situation at all times. If it is not, then something is obviously wrong as either the system is not configured properly or it is malfunctioning on a software and/or hardware level. Humans have to do their part as well as changing up how a thing is done can throw off a system although any good software should have contingencies built in for normal variances in the use and wielding of a program.

In the end, computers are much more rigid and predictable than humans, but this is not a hard and fast rule all of the time. The use of things motion, haptics and other human to computer interface properties is not an exact science and imperfections can abound for a number of reasons. Indeed, the initial hard drives and computers in general were crawling slow as compared to those of today and motion-based or even haptic technology was next to none (if not zero) in the early days.

However, people will probably say the same about the technology of 2014 just a scant 20-30 years down the road from today. Motion-based technology and the improvement of haptics to improve ease and speed of use as well as to help those that are disabled or otherwise challenged in a way that can be assisted through the use of human computer interface improvements and tactics (Gorman, 2012). As it relates to a user-centric process, the name basically gives it away.

Starting with the system first and trying to constrain a user to do things a certain way and/or in a certain order may sound good on paper and there are perhaps situations where it is called for or required such as items relating to compliance and mission-critical items where procedural and operational deviation is not a viable option.

However, with most computers systems of any type, they really have to be designed with the user in mind including how the system will be used, how it will not be used, what customers request and prefer as it relates to software/hardware and other similar dimensions.

The user can certainly be educated and updated in what a system can offer and this can guide how they use the system, but the user will generally be in the driver's seat as it relates to what they prefer and what they do not (UsabilityFirst, 2014). Regarding human motion and how that relates to the human/computer interface, there are easy-to-see implications with this as well. Many systems are based on tactile interactions and physical touch.

However, many systems use motion in one form or another and the systems/equipment involved is at all levels of type and complexity. Examples of motion being used in computing would be the Kinect motion controller used by the Xbox One and Xbox 360 as well as motion-sensitive sensors and cameras used in corporate and home-based surveillance systems.

Motion-based technologies, or at least technologies that capitalize and seize upon motion and video in general can easily be expanded to include facial recognition software, "black box" software in cars, transponders in airplanes and so forth. The telemetry and data that flows forth from these boxes and systems either in real-time.