What interfaces will we use to control computers in the future?
From last centry, when computers appeared, we’ve used buttons to control them, buttons on keyboards, on panes, on a mouse. The mouse was the first device to allow controlling an element on the screen (the cursor in this case) by moving it on a flat surface. Then touchscreen appeared, where we interact directly with the objects on screen. Voice commands exist for a long time but it’s not that spread mainly because it lacks precision.
It’s natural to believe things will change in the future, as technology evolved a lot and will evolve even further. Already researchers are working on new ways to control a computer. One of the latest achievements is the gestural interface where you move your hand in front of the display that then reads your movements and translates them in commands that move for example objects on screen.
The practical applications are unlimited and the ease of use is also a big point here. Researchers say that gestural interfaces could be implemented on all kinds of devices, including cellphones. Imagine that your cellphone could vibrate, not just ring when it ‘sees’ you’re not paying attention. It could also change your theme according to your modd and so on. You could shut down the computer with only one gesture, you could draw letters in the air and so on.
Of course those types of user inputs could work in conjunctions as for example typing is faster on a keyboard or speech can be used when writing long texts, the you’ll switch back when you’re done. Things we’ve seen in movies like Minority Report could mean reality, not science fiction in a few years, but the ultimate step, if you ask me, is the direct interface with the human brain.
The human brain is the ultimate computer. It’s the one that controls our body, so it seems natural to me to link if to our computers. Cyborgs could be just around the corner but not like the ones you see in movies, of course. The speed of thought is greater than any other gesture you might do to give a command. Do you agree or think this is too sci-fi?
