36.2 Hardware: Human computer interface

Human-computer interface

Interface devices

An interface device is peripherals used to communicate with the mouse, keyboard and games controllers etc. The device will take input which means whatever is pressed on the peripheral will be inputted to the source device and give output to the user. An example of this would be a games controller such as the Xbox controller. The Xbox controller when connected wired or wirelessly has buttons which act as a switch for an action on the display. When the user presses the button then the interface device will communicate with the system and display that action on the display.

Ergonomics

PlayStation 4 Dual Shock Controller

The PlayStation 4 controller from its predecessor is very ergonomic as the controller size has increased which means that it is more comfortable and easier to grip your hand on the controller. Also, the controller is lightweight which means it’s easier to hold whereas an Xbox controller is heavier. Also, it is easy to grip the controller due to the micro-textured grips on the handle of the controller. The stick configurations for the PlayStation controller are symmetrical which means they align. However, the grip on the sticks are very bad as they’re not durable also when PlayStation shipped out some controllers at least 10% of them had damaged grip on the sticks. For ergonomic factors, this is a problem as they wouldn’t be able to use the controller properly as it would be uncomfortable, and uncomfortableness could cause RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury). Furthermore, the analogue sticks are more responsive and stiffer, which allows for a good grip and your thumbs won’t slip off the analogues. They allow for more precise movements and remain quite firm for a longer time. Also, the D-pad has been placed on the left-hand side of the controller as it’s easily accessible with the fingers, this is the same for the triggers as well as the buttons. The analogue sticks are placed next to each other with a small gap, so it isn’t tight, and movement is easy and this was meant for the thumbs. Plus, the controller is lightweight and compact which means it can fit any user’s palms and hand.

Xbox Controller

The Xbox controller is designed to be used by holding the controller with both hands and for the thumbs to be placed on the analogue sticks and the fingers making use of the D-pad, buttons and triggers. The way the Xbox controller is ergonomic is that it has been designed to fit in the hands of the player. It isn’t too big nor too small but just the right size for any average person which means it is comfortable. For it to be ergonomic it needs to be comfortable as the controller may be used for extended periods of time also it if its comfortable it can reduce RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) as if it was uncomfortable it could impact the person’s nerves, joints which causes RSI and this could mean that they can gain an injury from this. Also, the design in ergonomic as where the analogue sticks have been placed, they’re not too apart from each other and gives enough room to control.

Button/Stick configurations

The location of the buttons, triggers and analogue sticks have an impact on the user and is very fundamental as it’s what makes the peripheral comfortable and easy to use. For example, the PS4 controller. It has four action buttons which are located on the right-hand side which consists of the X, triangle, circle and square buttons. Whereas, the Directional pad is on the left-hand side which means it is symmetrical which means the position of both buttons is configured to be easily accessible. This is because in-game it is easier to control in the game as the buttons and D-pad are placed in the most efficient position for the fingers and the four action buttons along with the D-pad are the most used buttons so if these are put in a comfortable place then that means that the player will be in the same position more than any other control. Also, in-game for example in FPS (First person shooters) you can customise the controls with controller bindings or just by using the most efficient control set by the game like in Call of Duty where the four buttons control usually is X – to jump, triangle to switch weapon, circle to crouch or melee, and square is to reload. There are many different controller configurations such as tactical, claw however these just swap the button uses around however it keeps the four main buttons similar this is because it is the easiest way to play. There are also four triggers on the controller and triggers are a very important aspect to the game as well as the controller. For an ergonomic design, the triggers are placed in a comfortable place, so they can be reached. In total, there are four trigger buttons which are named R1, R2, L1, L2. There are two triggers behind each other, so you have R1, then R2 behind it vice versa. This is efficient as instead of pressing two trigger buttons at the same time on one side you can have control with the other side as well like in a car where the accelerator and break are, they’re next to each other however you just need one foot to press on any of them.

User centred design

The user centred design is what the designers use to allow their products to be best optimised for the market. This is where they test out how well a peripheral/device such as the controller and HCI is fit for its purpose. There is a development stage, and this is how the final product is so comfortable and efficiently designed. The UCD is finalised through testing how good the HCI is and if it meets the purpose, how the final product is created which depends on what the most common button uses are going to be and whether it can be achieved or not. This links with gaming as when designing a new controller, they will use the UCD of the previous design and iterate from it and see feedback which was given and make amendments making it as comfortable and easy to use as possible. An example of this would be Nintendo’s Wii system, specifically the Wii remote. The Wii remote is a prime example of how the UCD was not achieved even after being finalised. This is because Nintendo went for an unorthodox approach with the controller as it looks much different than any other game controller. This is because in the development stage of the UCD this is what they thought was best at the time and Nintendo were focused on motion control, so you can see that it was designed to fit in the hands and you only need the additional controller for specific games. So, the remote fits in one hand. Also, the buttons were placed on the remote however it doesn’t seem like it is comfortable and easy to reach. Also, within the UCD, there is a strap which is connected to the Wii remote. This is due to when the Wii was first released players were having issues holding onto the remote, so the strap is there to ensure the remote stays on the hand and it also prevents any damage done to the remote if it accidentally slipped out of the user’s hand. Also, because of this the controller had to be redesigned and many contemplated whether this was poor UCD research.

Accessibility

For accessibility, many companies have added colour blind settings, inverted colours, zoom/enlarge text and text-to-speech. However, for people with disability with their muscles or who have injured themselves, Microsoft have created a controller which is called the Microsoft Adaptive Controller which allows disabled users to game casually on any title. The Xbox Adaptive Controller, which is available for $100, works with all titles on Xbox One and Windows 10 and can be customized for each game via app. Designed for gamers with restricted mobility, including those with cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries, the device is compatible with most existing switches. Players can plug in foot pedals, for example, if they can’t use their hands, or a Quad Stick, which lets quadriplegic players sip or puff with their mouth to control movement onscreen. The controller also introduces Shift mode, which allows the player to change a button’s function mid-game. (So a button might control “jump” in one section and “shoot” in another.)