Friday 3rd of May 2024
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the zutbots in colour — saturday

the zutbots in colour — saturday

dolt, duffer, foozle, fumbler, klutz...

 

As the tide of digital devices gathers pace, so does the potential for disconnect between hand, eye and machine. Apart from Apple's new iPhone, new smartphones or tablet devices are imminent or just launched from Nokia, Motorola, Sony and Amazon, among others.

''I guess the problem now, with all these devices, is there are just so many different types,'' he said. ''It does put a big load on us'', especially ''unnatural movements'' which, because the physical movement is disconnected from its effect, are a cognitive step beyond ''natural'' gestures like picking up a stick.

Some of Dr Cunnington's research involves ''annoying'' participants by reversing the direction of a mouse control so the cursor moves opposite to the expected direction, so up instead of down, or left instead of right. Happily, he says, the brain adapts quickly: within a couple of minutes for the up-down reversal, or 10 minutes for the ''much harder'' left to right.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/devices-weave-our-brains-into-a-twist-20120914-25xox.html#ixzz26UdRAASv

Why is there such an array of ways to do the same thing (or very near the same thing) on all this technological stuff? Basically in one word: PATENTS... Some computer programmes like "Words" are clumsy... The inventing boffins had to navigate ways to do things and create cascading menus in ways that would not infringe on patents... We learn that clumsy works, though... Some programmes like adobe InDesign or Quark Express have their own idiosyncracies (and a list of patents as long as a telephone directory), yet they are far simpler to use and have a ton more "flexibility'... Thus these programmes have a large array of extra functions — and because of this some people will shy away from them... In the end whether we press a keyboard or blow a trumpet, the trick resides in our learning of the instruments... If one reversed the notes on a piano keyboard, one could get some new music by playing old tunes...
Here is a challenge for you, techos... build a reversed sound keyboard... if this has not been patented already...