HCI technology task

                            

HCI Technology task.

HCI stands for “human computer interface” which means how we as people interact with the Computers, Televisions and other screens. This is performed in a verity of different ways. Such as joysticks and keyboards, most of which are specific to their own system. So here are a few examples on how HCI is preformed.

Screens:

Screens are a nessicery feature for all forms of computers, televisions, Ipods, Ipads, handhelds and other peices of technology. Without a screen you couldn’t operate the system or see any of the nessicery things or anthing for that matter. Screens come in many versions often not combatable with other forms of tecnology ( e.g. a tv screen can’t be used with an Iphone ) but a computer can be linked up to a full blown television set for a much bigger experience.

 

                                                                             Keyboards:

 The keyboard is a piece of equipment mostly used for the computer for typing and controlling video games, but some models are designed for console use, such as the Xbox 360’s keypad attachment. Some consoles do however allow you to use a USB and connect a computer key board and mouse.

  

         

                                                                                 Joysticks:

Joysticks used to be the one of the most popular ways of controlling a video game, with such home consoles as the Atari 2600 benefiting from its use. The controller’s simple design was perfect for early games, the simple game play worked well with the joysticks simple controls, nowadays joysticks are used for most flight simulator games. 

                                          

                                                                                        

 Pads:

The game pad is one of, if not the most popular forms of controlling a video game, think of the game pad like an advanced joystick controller, just with more buttons to push and two ‘sticks’.  Nearly every home console since the release of the NES has had a gamepad as a form of controller, some consoles do have alternates but also have a form of game pad,   and even the Nintendo WII had a variation of one. Gamepads also introduced the “Rumble” feature, in which an event in the game with causes the gamepad to shake rapidly in the users hands.      

       

 

Touch screens:

Touch screen technology is found in most things as of now, from shopping checkouts to mobile phones, a touch screen is never too far away. Many computer games are also controlled with touch screens; these games are called “Apps” and can be downloaded for various mobile products and computers. Although touch screens are allot more visual then most other ways of controlling, it can still be quite confusing in comparison to simply pushing buttons.

                

 

Steering wheels:

Designed for more or less one form of computing, driving games/ simulators, the controller lets the user fell like they’re manning a wheel of a vehicle, but not much else. You can hook up a wheel to do other things (like movement in a PC game) but is not recommended.

                    

 

Pointing devices:

A pointing device is something we can use to control a pointer on a computer screen, like a track ball or mouse. A pretty straight forward thing found allot in everyday life, Mice are mostly used for controlling video games and clicking important parts of the screen. Pretty straight forward and mostly likely will not become obsolete for a long time.

      

 

Motion detectors:

Motion detectors are slowly becoming a bigger thing in the world of computing, with things such as the Microsoft kinect and the Nintendo WII relying on it to function. It works by detecting movement and having the game react accordingly; it is slowly taking over the spot of the controller, but is still in too early of a stage to completely replace them.

   

Headsets:

Headsets have always had a spot in the world of gaming and computers, being used for communicating with others, or for verbally give an instruction for control of something. The military use it for communication with their troops, people in drive-ins sometimes use them to take orders, and we can use them to talk to our friends on our computers or for playing games. One of the earliest examples of them being used in gaming is the NES headset, used to give orders to the game instead of controllers. But we mostly just use them now for talking in servers on PC and console games.