Friday, 30 May 2014

Basic Overview Of Siemens HMI Software

By Marci Glover


Human-computer interaction as a branch of computer science is concerned with the user-oriented design of interactive systems and their human-machine interfaces (HMI). Knowledge of computer science is complemented by cognitive science, ergonomics, sociology to create Siemens HMI software. Important sub-areas of human-computer interaction, include usability engineering, E -learning, context analysis, interaction design and information design.

A set of multiple monitors, devices and control surfaces form a console or management station. From a console, an operator receives notifications and performs control actions. A control room may contain one or more control stations. The control rooms and control stations can be found in many different applications, such as control tower of an airport, control center for police and ambulances and nuclear power plant. The design of the passenger compartment of airplanes and helicopters includes the highly specialized user interfaces.

In any case, in this context of human-machine interfaces, usability and accessibility aspects are of primary importance. With the advent of digital instrument clusters, it is becoming increasingly important to conduct in-depth study of HMIs in the automotive industry. In computer science, the term GUI (Graphical User Interface or GUI) indicates the layer of modern operating systems that allows interaction with the user through graphics rather than with keyboard commands (command line interface, CLI).

The computer has evolved very quickly since its debut in 1940. The first computers used punched cards, punched tapes or tapes. There were a keyboards for interacting with the system (console). Personal computers then began using floppy disks and a mouse before moving to touchscreens. The mouse allows you to use a computer with the WIMP paradigm that relies on graphical interfaces to organize the presentation of information to the user.

Ergonomic studies have also emphasized the relation of working conditions with stress and the visual perception of images. In assessing the current user interface, or developing new interfaces, designers should keep in mind the following principles of development: From the outset, it is necessary to focus on users and tasks. Set the number of users who are required to perform tasks. Iterative design involves determining the number of users, tasks, making empirical measurements.

Industrial computers, PLCs are still largely equipped with pushbuttons and LEDs. In the car, people first interacted with simple mechanical means and the evolution of computing and robotics led to more sensors and information available to the driver who has to choose the action to perform via the steering wheel, brake pedal and various switches (lights, cruise control).

One can observe that the HMI are increasingly disconnected from the actual implementation of controlled mechanisms. Alan Cooper distinguishes three interface paradigms: technological paradigm - the interface reflects how the controlled mechanism is built. The paradigm of metaphor that can mimic the behavior of an interface as an object of everyday life and thus already controlled by the user. Idiomatic paradigm that uses interface elements in stereotyped behavior, consistent and therefore easy to learn but not necessarily modeled on real-life objects.

Users, developers and technicians work together to clearly express the needs and boundaries, and thus create a system that meets these requirements. User-oriented projects often use ethnographic research environment in which users will interact with the system. This practice is similar to a joint development, which emphasizes the ability for users to actively cooperate through sessions and workshops.




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