New interfaces for the on-line environment
N. Rawcliffe · 2000
The Sony Walkman was a revolutionary product, it gave users the freedom to take their music out of its previously confined environment. Current developments in the area of wearable computing are enabling a similar revolution: the ability to take the information portal out of its traditional environment. Wearable technology is enabling us to break free from the confines of the office desk and statistics relating to repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and posture problems are showing us that we should get away from the desk but first we need to crack the mould of the desk based interface. The accepted PC interface peripherals have become the keyboard and the mouse. The keyboard, despite incorporating a large percentage of redundant keys for the average user, has evolved into a standard desktop slab. The mouse, having fought off the trackball and other minor competitors, still gets full of fluff and needs its own placemat to work effectively. Screen technology has advanced to show that small, head mounted screens may soon be the norm. Unfortunately, many new control interface designs have appeared to be cumbersome, difficult to learn and over-complicated. (4 pages)