Computer Interaction in Science Fiction Movies 232
MidVicious writes "From futuristic 'Punch Cards' to Voice Recognition HoloDeck Interfaces, human/computer interactions have always mirrored the base concepts of our emerging technologies. An article from a Saarland University CS Seminar highlights Hollywood history with UI, ranging from the moderately feasible (Total Recall's television/scenery display wall) to the often ridiculous (Swordfish's 6-flat screen monitor setup complete with 3-D virus-hacking environment). An interesting read, especially considering some of the technology is on its way to becoming a reality."
Re:Alien (Score:4, Interesting)
The TNG computers were pretty good. I remember seeing an interview with Michael Okuda talking about the challenges of creating something that people would accept as 23rd century technology, but having to use 20th century technology to do it. I also remember, when TNG was just about to debut, remarking in another forum that the TOS computers looked clunky by then, and that the flight deck of a Shuttle or 767 looked far more futuristic.
While it never made it in to film, the interface in the later Foundation novels wins for me.
...laura
Re:Lex says... (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.sgi.com/fun/freeware/3d_navigator.html [sgi.com]
Slow as hell, and not nearly as cool as I thought it'd be though. :(
Minority Report (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Mouse? (Score:3, Interesting)
I guess.
TLF
Re:Video game as firewall (Score:1, Interesting)
#> show passwords
**ACCESS DENIED**
then she thinks to herself and tries this
#> show all passwords
root:sw0rdf!sh:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
bgates:BS0D:666:666:redmond:/var/crash:/win32/cmd
bin:nom@d:1:1:bin:/bin:/sbin/nologin
daemon:ex0rc!sm:2:2:daemon:/sbin:/sbin/nologin
Bingo!!! Yup, it really is that easy!
Seriously though, most of the stuff is so far from reality. I would welcome some more realism or something 3D based on a realistic concept (check out youtube for the "Minority Report Computing" video http://youtube.com/watch?v=PLhMVNdplJc [youtube.com]), but I don't see the average Joe being entertained. In fact, the textual based hacking is probably what is unrealistic to him.
Re:Alien (Score:5, Interesting)
Star Trek comm badge logic (Score:4, Interesting)
(1) Enterprise bridge crew is watching an away team's planet survey on the main viewscreen. Captain Piccard decides to ask Commander Riker (who is on the away team) a question.
(2) Scene cuts to the planet. You see Riker with his away team. Suddenly you hear Piccard's voice on Riker's comm badge "Piccard to Riker: Report!"
Now tell me this... In this scenario, Piccard supposedly hails Riker and even though there is no "routing" done with the message beforehand, Piccard's entire vocal request automatically goes to Riker and ONLY Riker, though everyone on the away team has a comm badge. In fact, you hear the initial request for Riker on his own badge. Did the comm badge psychically know to message Riker solely at the instant Piccard clicked his comm badge to transmit?
Re:3-D interface in X-Men (Score:5, Interesting)
I would almost feel sorry for anyone who went through the trouble of building one, without running fiber optics up each pin. The color part should be easy compared to the hydraulics part.
The forgot (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Star Trek comm badge logic (Score:0, Interesting)
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Re:Mouse? (Score:5, Interesting)
See, the thing about menu driven interfaces is they are serious compromises. They trade cost (many buttons and the space they take up) for layers on a single interface (a screen.) When operating critical machinery, you can't be navigating menus. For instance, if cap'n starboy says "shields up", you can't say, "sorry, I didn't get them up in time because I was in the turbolift interface." You need to press a button that puts the shields up, and *right now.* Likewise for any number of critical functions.
I can give you a practical modern example. I own a Denon 7.1 channel surround system. It's really pretty decent quality, and it is the main system for our theater. If you want to do anything besides change sources or volume, you'll be navigating menus. Sometimes... lots of menus. It's a pain in the butt, and it is slow. This thing cost me about two grand.
In my library, I have a Marantz 2325 [classic-audio.com], circa 1975 or so. This has every control and status display on a button, knob, or dial. There are only two multi-purpose things on it. Consequently, it is a lot easier to run - everything is always in the same place, and the things you use often you learn where are almost immediately - and it is a whole lot faster to operate. Want to turn up the bass? Reach for the bass control. Want just bass on the left speaker? Inner concentric ring of the bass control. And so on, for almost every function on the unit. It's not perfect - FM muting level is on the rear, and the Dolby levels take over the FM signal strength meter when you want to look at them, but man is it a lot easier and more comfortable to operate than the Denon. But accounting for inflation, the retail on this was about five grand. Those buttons and knobs are very costly. It isn't just advances in electronics that make that relative price drop!
The Denon actually has a lot more functionality. But getting at it is tough. Practically speaking, that actually means that mostly, I don't get at it at all.
Coming back to a computer interface for a spacecraft or a watercraft or any war machine, I can see them going back to buttons regardless of the ability to fold functionality into a graphic interface, because with a button, a well trained person goes right to the function and time may be of the essence in any one of a number of situations, including some that may not have been foreseen by the system designers. Buttons cost more in terms of real estate, but then again, they can give you more in terms of outright survival.
Buttons are faster than speech, too, even if there is no latency. Takes about 40 ms to hit a button. You can't talk that fast. It's just that simple. Now, if they ever manage to make a mind to machine interface, we'll be on new ground, but until then... buttons ftw. :-)
Re:Minority Report (Score:3, Interesting)
Apple's working on it. One of their latest iMac concepts included a screen that was completely clear when off and semi-translucent when in use. There was a Slashdot post about it, IIRC.
Right, here we go: http://ibloggedthis.com/2006/08/09/a-concept-of-a
Enjoy.
Mouse? Man? (Score:1, Interesting)
All interfaces are a compromise. A good interface has the fewest compromises.
"When operating critical machinery, you can't be navigating menus. "
No one says that an interface has to be purely one metaphor.
"Consequently, it is a lot easier to run - everything is always in the same place, and the things you use often you learn where are almost immediately - and it is a whole lot faster to operate. "
It's called muscle memory.
"Buttons cost more in terms of real estate, but then again, they can give you more in terms of outright survival."
An "analog" control doesn't have to have an analog purpose, nor does it have to be a one to one relationship.
Ghost in the Shell? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Alien (Score:4, Interesting)
The TNG computers were pretty good.
I never quite got how the turbolifts worked. the crew doesn't seem to prepend commands with "computer...", they just usually say "deck x", "bridge", "pause", "resume". how does it know when it's a command and when it's just crew chatter? or are these keywords reserved for computer communication and their usage in casual chatter is verboten?
Re:Mouse? (Score:3, Interesting)
Cameras went through the same evolution. In the eighties, it was hip to put LCD displays on the body and run all functions through simple up/down buttons. Minolta even went as far as to implement this for their zoom lenses, where you had to use a zoom-in/zoom-out button to run the zoom.
Somehow, it dawned on camara makers that this was not a good idea. The last generation of film SLR bodies went back to dedicated buttons and knobs, witness such cameras as the Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 7 and 9, and the Nikon F5. Funnily enough, the first generations of digital cameras replicated this mistake, with the DSLRs finally returning to dedicated knobs, and makers such as Panasonic ditching the two-way switches on their compacts.
MartRe:Alien (Score:3, Interesting)
Evil Security Guy backs away slowly.
Lab Coated SysAdmin #1 sees this and scoffs, "What, you expecting it to explode like in the movies? That never happens in real life."
ESG replies, "No one's ever shut down a computer system with a scanner in it before."
Big Blinkenlight mainframe shuts down. LEDs go out slowly, tape drives quit spinning. Everything's quiet.
LCSA#1 says, "See? I told you there was nothing to worry about."
THEN we get the big explosion.