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May 9, 2007
The Next UI Breakthroughs: Command Lines and Physicality
In the current issue of ACM Interactions Don Norman says the next two major interface changes in technology are command lines and physicality. In the former case he's talking about interacting with search engines via command lines; in the latter case he's predicting more Wii-like interfaces where we manipulate technology via turning and moving sensor-ified devices.
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I would like the next UI to involve standing instead of sitting. There are laptops in more and more people's kitchens now, and I love just standing at a bar with a laptop and surfing or emailing. So much more comfortable and physically engaging than sitting in a chair with my legs out in front of me atrophying. That's the one good thing about Segways, too - standing instead of sitting is WAY more interactive and attention-keeping, even if you're body is not actually moving. Same thing applies to sporting events, concerts, and anything else that comes to mind.
I was re-reading some William Gibson last year and noticed that the protagonist would hack into systems using some sort of body suit and wiggling all around.
I remember thinking, the author sure wrote a remarkably prescient take on the future, but he sure got that aspect wrong!
One year later, score: Gibson 1 me 0