Chapter 1.

Human Computer
Interaction Foundations
Aim
To enhance the knowledge of the student with the
fundamentals of Human Computer Interaction

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Instructional Objectives
Objectives of this chapter are:
• Explain the basic concepts of HCI
• Explain the different types of devices available for interaction
• Describe the different types of interfaces
• Describe typical capacities of computer memory and storage standards
• Elaborate the function of interaction framework used to explain problems
between user and a computer

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Human Computer Interaction
HCI (Human-computer interaction) is the concept of understanding how humans interact with
computers and to what level computers are or are not developed for effective interaction with
human beings.

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The Human

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The Human
(i) Input-Output Channels
• A person’s interaction with the environment happens through sending and
receiving data or information. This can be considered as the input and output.
• The human gets data as input which is the output of the PC and can react to it
by sending data as an input to the PC.
• People have five distinctive input channels like vision, hearing, touch, taste and
smell.
• The initial three channels are the most critical for HCI utilizations.
• The human output is done through control of human body parts like the
fingers, eyes, head and the vocal system.
• The fingers are assumed to be the most critical part for interacting with PC.

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(i) Input-Output Channels
a) Visual Input Channel
• Human vision is a complex activity. This is the basic source of information.
• Vision starts with light. The eye accepts light and converts it into electrical
energy.
• The receptors in the eye change it into electrical signals, which are passed to
brain.
• Rods allow us to see through a low level of brightness but they can't resolve fine
details.
• Cones are another kind of receptors in the eye.
• Cones are concentrated on the fovea which is a small portion of retina.
• Brightness is an individual reaction to levels of light.
• When we read a sentence our eyes move quickly around. These movements are
called as saccades.

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Input-Output Channels
b)Auditoral Input Channel

• Hearing is a significant input channel

• Human ear accepts vibrations called sound waves

• Sound wave is received from the air and moves through the numerous stages to
sound-related nerve

• Visually impaired individuals rely on acoustical guides while using PCs.

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Input-Output Channels
c)Haptic Input Channel

Skin
The receptor for
pressure is the most
apprehensive with HCI Intense Pressure Heat and cold Heat and pain

While using a computer,

the feeling of the Immediate Constantly
pressed button provides Pressure Applied Pressure
us a feedback

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Input-Output Channels
Human Output Channel- Fitt’s Law
Human Output Channel is categorized by the motor control of the equipment we practice, and the movement of
our body parts.

Reaction Time

Event -Hitting of a keyboard

button

Movement Time

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The Human
Human Memory - Types
When the human is considered as the prime character in Human-Computer Interaction,
then we also have to contemplate the human memory

• Information is through stimuli.

Sensory memory • Performs as a buffer for stimuli.
• Information is stored or overwritten based on interest

• Works as a scratch pad

• Information is temporarily stored
Short term memory • Has a limited capacity
• Can be optimized by chunking

• Stores our comprehensive knowledge-Capabilities and

behaviour
Long term memory • Capacity is unlimited
• Can be recalled at any time
• Episodic and semantic memory

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The Human
Thinking
Reasoning means to use our information to draw conclusions or assume something new in the area of interest.

Thinking

Reasoning Problem solving

Reasoning means we
make a conclusion based Unknown task is solved
on our knowledge. by the human by utilising
Deductive thinking their own knowledge.
implies logical Many theories are there
conclusions from given about problem solving
premises

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The Human- Thinking
Reasoning and Problem solving
The ability of humans to find solutions to unknown issues by using their own knowledge is Problem solving .

Problem space Theory

Human mind is a limited information processor, which can be visualized with states and use
state transition operators to come from the initial state over several steps to your goal.

Heuristics

Heuristics are used to select appropriate operators to reach the goal

Analogical mapping

To find an analogy to solve former problems. We map our new problem to already known ones

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Quiz/Assessment
1) When reading a sentence our eyes move rapidly around is called as
a) Saccades
__________
b) Acoustical
c) Kinetesis
d) Roboters

2) Blind people depend on __________ aids when they use computers.

a) Saccades
b) Acoustical
c) Kinetesis
d) Roboters

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The Computer

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The Computer
Elements of
Memory

Input Devices Output Devices Memory Devices processor

Text Entry Pointing Internal External

Devices Devices Memory Memory

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The Computer-Input Devices
Text Entry Devices

• Punch Cards
Punch Cards
• Traditional Keyboards

• Qwerty Keyboards

• Onscreen Keyboards

• Graffiti

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The Computer-Input Devices
Positioning, Pointing & Drawing Devices

Mouse Trackball
Mouse is the most generally used pointing A trackball performs operations like a mouse. It has
device a moveable ball on the highest point of it.

Joystick
Touch pad
The hand-held stick is used to control the
Touch Pad is a pressure-sensitive pointing
movement of pointer on the screen
device.

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The Computer-Input Devices
Positioning, Pointing & Drawing Devices

Touch Screen Digitizer or Graphics Tablet

Input is given to the computer directly by Digitizer is used for drawing images. Images can
touching the screen with user fingertip be drawn with the help of stylus

Light pen
The light pen is a hand-held pointing input
device. It is light-sensitive.

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The Computer-Output Devices
Display Devices
Cathode Ray tube uses florescent blue tube and projects electrons on the screen and the image
CRT appears as a result of projection. It is obsolete

LCD Liquid Crystal Display is the commonly used display nowadays.

Light Emitting Diode displays are the new technology displays . The backlight is normally a florescent
LED light.

Plasma Small sized cells are present in the display. Hence the name Plasma display

Projector The display can be projected on the wall and it can become visible to many people at the same time.

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The Computer-Memory
Computer memory is the storage space in a computer where instructions essential
for processing are stored.

Computer Memory

Internal Memory External Memory

• Cache Memory • Magnetic Disc

• Primary/Main memory • Optical Disc

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The Computer-Memory

CPU Register
It is the processor register. It is very fast. This type of memory is at the top of memory
hierarchy.

Cache Memory
Cache memory is also high speed memory. It is a intermediate memory between primary
memory and cpu register. The data frequently used by the cpu, can be kept in cache memory.

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The Computer-Memory

RAM
A RAM is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program and program result. I
t is read/write memory. It is known as random access memory (RAM).

ROM
ROM denotes Read Only Memory. In this memory we can only read but cannot write on it.
ROM is non-volatile memory. The information is stored permanently in ROM during manufacture.

Secondary Memory
Auxiliary memory are larger in size than main memory but slower. They store system programs,
instruction and data files. Auxiliary memory is also known as secondary memory

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Quiz/Assessment

3) __________ device permits direct interaction with the computer system.

a) Keyboard
b) Track ball
c) Pointing stick
d) Touch screen

4) __________ has moveable ball on the top of it.

a) Keyboard
b) Track ball
c) Pointing stick
d) Touch screen

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The Interaction

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The Interaction

The main focus of HCI is to perceive the ways in which humans interact
with computers and design technologies that let humans interact with
computers in novel ways.
Interaction can be defined as a conversation between the computer and the
user. Some applications have very distinctive styles of interaction.

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The Interaction
Models of Interaction
Interaction can be defined as a conversation between the computer and the user.
The execution-evaluation cycle
This can be further divided into the following stages.

1. Establishing the goal

2. Forming the intension
3. Specifying the action sequence
4. Executing the action
5. Perceiving the system state
6. Interpreting the system state
7. Evaluating the system state

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The Interaction
Models of Interaction
Gulf of execution

Difference between user’s formulation of action to reach the goal and the actions allowed
by the system.

Gulf of evaluation

Difference between the user’s expectation of the changed state of the system and the actual changed state of the system.

So, for better interactive system, the interface should be made in such a way that it reduce the gulf.

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The Interaction
Models of Interaction
Interaction Framework:

• Avowed and Beale proposed a model that is the extension of the Norman’s model.

• In this case this model is divided into four components: system, user, input and the output. Language of the user
is task and the language of the system is core.
• Interface is formed by input and the output.
• In this interactive cycle, there are four steps.
• User specifies the task. Tasks are articulated within input language.

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Summary

✔ Nowadays keyboards come in various styles and forms."ergonomic", asymmetric shaped keys,
with multimedia-keys, foldable, illuminated, and soon

✔ A pointer characterizes a small symbol on the screen. It generally appears on the display in
Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment.

✔ Auxiliary memory are larger in size than main memory but is slower.

✔ ROM chips are not only used in the computer, but also in other electronic items like a washing
machine and microwave oven.

✔ WIMP Interface is the composition of the Windows, Icon, Menus and Pointers

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The Interaction
Frameworks & HCL

Components of an Interactive System

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Quiz/Assessment
5) ___________is the way of stating instructions to the computer directly.
a) Command Line Interface
b) Form-Filling Interfaces
c) Menus
d) GUI

6) __________ are mainly used for data entry or data retrieval.

a) Command Line Interface
b) Form-Filling Interfaces
c) Menus
d) GUI

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Activity
Brief description of activity

• What input and output devices would you use for the
following systems? For each, compare and contrast
alternatives.
Offline Activity • Portable Word Processor.
• Air Traffic Control System.
• Worldwide Personal Communication System.

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 Summary
✔ HCI contains of three parts: the user, the computer and the coordination between the user and computer.

✔ HCI systems are easy, benign, operative and entertaining.

✔ Software engineering emphases on the production of software application solutions, while HCI focuses on
✔ determining approaches and techniques that support people.

✔ the functionality of our auditorial system by using special warning sounds to attract user’s attention when
he is interacting with a computer.

✔ Long term memory enable us in order to know how we can react in a special situation.

✔ Heuristics are used to select appropriate operators to reach the goal.

✔ Auxiliary memory are larger in size than main memory but is slower.

✔ ROM chips are not only used in the computer, but also in other electronic items like a washing machine and
microwave oven.

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e-References

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3639/human-computer-interaction-hci
• HCI (human-computer interaction). (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from
http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/HCI-human-computer-interaction
• A Brief History of Human Computer Interaction Technology. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~amulet/papers/uihistory.tr.html
• Goals of Human-Computer Interaction. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from
http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/cmiller/hci440/goals.html
• Advantages and disadvantages of H-C Interaction. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/hchumancomputerinteraction/home/advantages-and-disadva
ntages-of-h-c-interaction

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External Resources

• Chen, Q. (2001). Human computer interaction (1st ed.). Hershey, Pa.: Idea Group Pub.
• Dix, A., Finlay, J., & Abowd, G. (2004). Human-computer interaction (1st ed.). London:
Pearson.
• Pearson Education.,. (2012). Pediatric nursing new mynursinglab with pearson etext access
card (6-month access) (1st ed.). [Place of publication not identified]: Appleton & Lange.
• Nielsen, J. (1995). Advances in human-computer interaction (1st ed.). Norwood, N.J.: Ablex
Publ. Corp.

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