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They were useful because they can be reconfigured on-demand to different interfaces - e.g. you can route helmsman's responsibilities to a different bridge stati

They were useful because they can be reconfigured on-demand to different interfaces - e.g. you can route helmsman's responsibilities to a different bridge station in case of hardware damage or human casualties.

vvillena 7y ago
That's also possible with a common set of hardware controller devices. Just like multiple games are played with the same controller on a console, or the way we use personal computers with a keyboard and mouse.
atoav 7y ago
As someone who designs ans builds modular synthesizer modules: so can mechanical interfaces if designed appropriately. Add labels on the display and use a set of generic controls and boom, you can use the same hardware for a ton of functions given the right abstractions.
- tinco 7y ago
  With the added benefit of having your control stations look like the bridge of Star Trek space ships.
- azernik 7y ago
  Yup - just requires the hardware designers to have some knowledge of the required UIs. My main point is that the use of touchscreens was more a case of lazy/cheap design than trend-driven design.
  - atoav 7y ago
    And I agree. Touch screens can be beneficial under certain circumstances — but they are not amazing for anything that has to be reliable and must be operated under stressful conditions. This is how for example the interface of the 50k$ Arri Alexa looks like (the de facto standard in cinema cameras): http://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_wide/public/uploads/2012/05/arri-alexa-camera-simulator.jpg?itok=GuZqI036 http://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_w... There were lower priced cameras like the Black Magic Production Camera which use only a toucscreen. And you can guess why that Black Magic model is discontinued..
- jpindar 7y ago
  Sure. Softkeys - a row of buttons around the edges of the screen - are how a lot of electronic test equipment works. In fact the UI can be identical for a device with softkeys vs. one with a touchscreen. It causes a few DOH! moments when you are working with some instruments that work one way and some the other, but this isn't nearly as annoying as you might expect. You still have to look at the screen though. Unless maybe you could 'lock' the UI into one mode (with no sub-menus), which might be a good compromise for vehicles.
  - atoav 7y ago
    Many modular synth systems also do this without screens e.g. by indicating the state of the system with a row of colored LEDs and then colorcoding the labels on the controls. This certainly offloads the cognitive load to the user, but it also works. The modular scene generally frowns upon systems that need deep menu diving, which is most of the time an indicator that your interface design is lacking.
mannykannot 7y ago
That was part of the problem on the USS McCain: the crew lost track of where essential control inputs were being routed from.

vvillena 7y ago

That's also possible with a common set of hardware controller devices. Just like multiple games are played with the same controller on a console, or the way we use personal computers with a keyboard and mouse.

atoav 7y ago

As someone who designs ans builds modular synthesizer modules: so can mechanical interfaces if designed appropriately. Add labels on the display and use a set of generic controls and boom, you can use the same hardware for a ton of functions given the right abstractions.

tinco 7y ago
With the added benefit of having your control stations look like the bridge of Star Trek space ships.
azernik 7y ago
Yup - just requires the hardware designers to have some knowledge of the required UIs. My main point is that the use of touchscreens was more a case of lazy/cheap design than trend-driven design.
- atoav 7y ago
  And I agree. Touch screens can be beneficial under certain circumstances — but they are not amazing for anything that has to be reliable and must be operated under stressful conditions. This is how for example the interface of the 50k$ Arri Alexa looks like (the de facto standard in cinema cameras): http://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_wide/public/uploads/2012/05/arri-alexa-camera-simulator.jpg?itok=GuZqI036 http://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_w... There were lower priced cameras like the Black Magic Production Camera which use only a toucscreen. And you can guess why that Black Magic model is discontinued..
jpindar 7y ago
Sure. Softkeys - a row of buttons around the edges of the screen - are how a lot of electronic test equipment works. In fact the UI can be identical for a device with softkeys vs. one with a touchscreen. It causes a few DOH! moments when you are working with some instruments that work one way and some the other, but this isn't nearly as annoying as you might expect. You still have to look at the screen though. Unless maybe you could 'lock' the UI into one mode (with no sub-menus), which might be a good compromise for vehicles.
- atoav 7y ago
  Many modular synth systems also do this without screens e.g. by indicating the state of the system with a row of colored LEDs and then colorcoding the labels on the controls. This certainly offloads the cognitive load to the user, but it also works. The modular scene generally frowns upon systems that need deep menu diving, which is most of the time an indicator that your interface design is lacking.

mannykannot 7y ago

That was part of the problem on the USS McCain: the crew lost track of where essential control inputs were being routed from.