Joe Cabrera
Adam Friedli
Reference Info:
A Multi-Touch Enabled Steering Wheel– Exploring the Design Space
Max Pfeiffer, Dagmar Kern, Johannes Schöning, Tanja Döring, Antonio Krüger, Albrecht Schmidt
CHI 2010, April 10–15, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Summary:
The article talks about the interactive design of an interface for an automobile steering wheel. It explains the research done in the field and their design implementations for the steering wheel. They agreed that the steering wheel should not distract users from the primary focus of the road on which they are driving. They also do not want the user to get their hands off from the secondary task which is the steering wheel. They focused on thumb gestures for input and took a look at buttons and gestures incorporated into the steering wheel. The authors are uncertain if there should be an output display on the steering wheel and how it should be used. A prototype was built to experiment with users and gather data. users were asked to do several tasks using gestures they made up. Cameras filmed their thumb gestures as they said aloud their thought process. Their data wasn't fully analyzed but came up with the notion that thumb gestures should be obvious and fit our mental model.
Discussion:
This seems like a good idea. I would want something like this implemented in my car. I always find my arm getting tired from reaching over to the radio station changing stations. I would want easier access to all the buttons without having to take my eyes off the road.
I don't really like this idea, the current design of cars provides a very good one-one mapping for actions to user controls. I feel that reaching over and changing the radio is something I would like to continue doing.
ReplyDeleteI can see how this idea sounds useful, but personally, I believe that putting various buttons and incorporating gestures with a steering wheel would only result in complicating things. We already have plenty of distractions and complications while driving.
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