Enhancing human-machine interface
Communication between man and machine – known as human-machine interface (HMI) – could become more intuitive or natural by integrating motional and emotional information. Those parameters are difficult to express with standard HMI devices. A great part of the information is conveyed through non-verbal communication. Adding these cues to HMI requires a move from classical computer peripherals to interfaces that mimic natural human interaction. Recent advances in microelectronics, embedded signal processing and software technologies have brought more natural HMI solutions within reach. Anyone having ever wrestled with an electronic product user manual will be happy to find out that these interfaces require very short learning curves and favour an intuitive approach. The EU-funded project WEAR-A-BAN(opens in new window) (Unobtrusive wearable human to machine wireless interface) enabled major technological breakthroughs in the field of ultra-low-power wireless body-sensor networks. WEAR-A-BAN successfully collected motional and emotional real-time information from a network of smart sensing nodes around the human body. The hardware platform of the body-area-network includes innovative technologies such as textile ultra-high-frequency antennas, highly miniaturised circuit boards and a new package for integrating electronics into textiles. Except for the miniaturised circuit and the compact antenna, the wearable sensing module embeds the signal processing software and the protocol stack on three selected prototype platforms. Based on this technology, the project successfully developed four demonstrator prototypes for rehabilitation robotics, gaming, an interactive textile in a garment and activity monitoring.
Keywords
Human-machine interface, wearable computer, interactive textiles, medical rehabilitation, video games
