Multimedia and process control interfaces: signals or noise?

Abstract

Multimedia interfaces are examined and the nature of current input and output media identified. A number of design objectives for multimedia inteifaces are suggested - improving efficiency, learning and providing a stimulating problem-solving environment. The key problem of how to choose an appropriate medium for a particular interface situation is analysed and the concept of a signal-to-noise ratio for measuring media expressiveness is tentatively postulated. Some recent work in process control is then examined and the results interpreted from the signal-to-noise ratio viewpoint. These are then related to the concept of media expressiveness.