User Interfaces: the mouse and its cousins
The computer mouse just turned 40 years old earlier this week. And from the time it was first demonstrated by Douglas Engelbart in 1968, it evolved from the one-button device made of wood to the present day 2 to 3-button device that comes in different sizes, shapes, and colors.
Undeniably, the computer mouse helped us over the years to interact with the computer but with the advent of single-touch and multi-touch interfaces today, users are slowly moving away with the point-and-click interface using the mouse.
Single-touch interfaces were developed in the early 80s. It uses a touchscreen panel where it could only sense a single point in the screen. This is common in PDAs and early laptop touchpads.
On the other hand, multi-touch interfaces allow users to touch multiple points in the screen/touchpad using highly-sensitive pads, light emitting diodes and cameras that can capture both heat and pressure.
This technology was first seen in phones when Apple, right after it acquired Fingerworks, launched the iPhone in 1997.
Jeff Han, founder of Perceptive Pixel and developer of the multi-touch interface first seen in TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), is also one of those who took user experience to a whole new level. The idea behind Han’s multi-touch screen system is that users can directly interact and manipulate objects, pictures, sound, and some desktop applications using their fingers (plural form).
So what can we expect from user interfaces in the future? Honestly, the possibilities are endless. But there’s one thing for sure: We will surely have the best user experience than any computer mouse could offer.
