Re-thinking electronic system design

Written by Noora & Robert

Hello everyone,

In this post, we want to focus on a trend which affects us all on a daily basis. We can observe it,

whenever someone is buying a coffee from a coffee dispenser, is checking his pulse with a

smartwatch or is using a key card to open a security door. The trend we are talking about is

called pervasive computing and designates the entry of embedded Systems in day-to-day

objects. But while such systems could be exceedingly helpful, e.g. by saving time or increasing

security, there are still some problems waiting to be solved. One of them is to design pervasive

systems according to the nature of human behaviour.

Nowadays ticket machines strongly rely on text communication, due to the lack of intuitive

design

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/131491175@N03/25449391833/

As the goal of pervasive technology is to be as unnoticeable as possible, the intuitiveness of the

systems becomes highlighted. Knowing how human perception works helps us to create

systems that are intuitive and pleasant to use, as well as evoke positive emotions and motivate

people to interact with them. We can use our knowledge about human perception and how to

handle with attention, to present information more appealing and constructive. It basically gives

us the possibility to develop proposals, for better pervasive systems. This idea is quite different

from how first electronic devices have been built. It is one of the basic concepts of

user-centered design, a framework which aims to consider all aspects of humans in a design

process. 

Another important aspect of pervasive technology design is safety. As pervasive technology can

be all around us, it can also interfere with our attention and therefore cause dangerous

situations. With the help of psychology we can predict people's behaviour in different situations

and design so that technology doesn't take all of our attention but still draws enough attention to

itself to be interesting. 

We are excited to see, how pervasive systems will be designed in the near future and if we as

the consumer can feel a difference. What do you think and what do you expect from future

devices? Please let us know in the comments.