There was a time when a punch card was the major thing in computers. We could punch holes to feed the instructions into the device. Over the years, we made the transition to a computer mouse and keyboard. But what does the future hold? Can any other device replace the essential mouse?
With the rapid pace at which new technologies are emerging, the day is not far behind when the computer mouse will become outdated.
Technological Advancements of Today
There have been numerous developments in recent years — from touch technologies to voice-enabled virtual assistants. Augmented and virtual reality have reached a phenomenal level that can improve and upgrade our lives seamlessly. Lastly, with the advent of digital assistants, repetitive tasks are now being streamlined. The new trends and innovations might one day make the use of a computer mouse completely redundant.
What Does the Future Hold?
The future looks promising for technologies that provide an intuitive user interface. For example, the popularity of smartphones is due to the interactive touch interface. But, touch technology can soon go out of date.
A Google venture by the name of Project Soli is experimenting with using radar-guided gestures to manipulate devices. Similarly, the film Minority Report touched upon the concept of a three-dimensional interface. The researcher John Underkoffer who assisted in the making of this movie has made some advanced studies involving three-dimensional spheres.
The film Iron Man throws light on the technology of haptic holograms. In this Tony Stark movie, one can alter, edit, or reorganize a hologram. Also, these holograms mimic a physical keyboard. If this aspect becomes a reality, one can do away with bulky physical devices in the future.
The Unbelievable Growth of User-Interface
Imagine controlling a device using your thoughts and ideas! According to Brain-Computer Interface technology and Bioelectronics, a computer can scan a human brain and convert thoughts into actionable commands. The applications of this technology involve robotic limbs, Motorized wheelchairs, household devices, etc. Research is already being conducted on these lines.
There are many other potential applications of brain-computer technology like telepathy. For example, imagine a person in India thinking of “hello,” and the message being converted to binary and emailed to France. In France, this message gets decoded and converted back to brainwaves. Some researchers are working on brain implants that collect the ideas and translate brainwaves into text format. In fact, BCI also helps in the recording of dreams at a lower image quality level.
There are many applications of brain-computer interface waiting to be uncovered. Many of them can drastically enhance the quality of our lives.
Do you have any exciting applications to share? Feel free to drop your comments below. For more interesting reads, feel free to subscribe to the MyTek blog.