Human Computer Interaction
Breadcrumbs: The Future of Ubiquitous Computing --> Driving Forces: Technological Forces --> Human Computer Interaction
Description
Human–computer interaction (HCI) is the study of interaction between people (users) and computers. 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.
A basic goal of HCI is to improve the interaction between users and computers by making computers more usable and receptive to the user's needs.
A long term goal of HCI is to design systems that minimize the barrier between the human's cognitive model of what they want to accomplish and the computer's understanding of the user's task. In another way the goal is to enable humans to communicate with their natural language with computers.
Researchers pursue to devise new human interfaces, new ways for people to communicate their needs and desires to the computational systems around them. They are interested in developing new design methodologies, experimenting with new hardware devices, prototyping new software systems, exploring new paradigms for interaction, and developing models and theories of interaction.
These new models require for more input modalities beyond the standard keyboard and screen, trackball, touch pad, and mouse. Input modalities that include all our 5 senses.