Even complex systems will become easier to use thanks to modern human-machine interaction. To enable that, machines will adapt more and more to human habits and needs. Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality will also allow them to be controlled remotely. As a result, humans expand their realm of experience and field of action.
Machines will also keep on getting better at interpreting signals in future – and that’s also necessary: The fully autonomous car must respond correctly to hand signals from a police officer at an intersection. Robots used in care must likewise be able to “assess” the needs of people who are unable to express these themselves.
The more complex the contribution made by machines is, the more important it is to have efficient communication between them and users. Does the technology also understand the command as it was meant? If not, there’s the risk of misunderstandings – and the system won’t work as it should. The upshot: A machine produces parts that don’t fit, for example, or the connected car strays off the road.
People, with their abilities and limitations, must always be taken into account in the development of interfaces and sensors. Operating a machine must not be overly complex or require too much familiarization. Smooth communication between human and machine also needs the shortest possible response time between command and action, otherwise users won’t perceive the interaction as being natural.
One potential risk arises from the fact that machines are highly dependent on sensors to be controlled or respond automatically. If hackers have access to the data, they obtain details of the user’s actions and interests. Some critics also fear that even learning machines might act autonomously and subjugate people. One question that has also not been clarified so far is who is liable for accidents caused by errors in human-machine interaction, and who is responsible for them.