Karl Lehnhoff, Director Segment Industrial, Scientific & Medical at EBV Elektronik, on trends in the field of Human Machine Interfaces.
Our daily life is now permeated by technology. With the complexity of technologies that surround us every day, there’s a growing need for Human Machine Interfaces that provide a positive user experience. The possibilities for interaction are becoming increasingly diverse: the range of HMI solutions extends from push-buttons to multi-touch screens to voice and gesture control. This breadth is something that particularly fascinates Karl Lehnhoff.
A light switch, a computer mouse, a neuroimplant for controlling a prosthesis – which of these do you consider a Human Machine Interface?
Karl Lehnhoff: That’s easy to answer – all of them. Switches are a basic HMI. But other things like a computer mouse are clearly Human Machine Interfaces. Of course, there are high-tech devices like Brain Machine Interfaces, representing the most advanced variant of an HMI.
What technologies for Human-Machine Interaction are currently in high demand?
K. L.: Let’s start with the classic: the switches. We use them everywhere. And we will continue to use them in the future. On the other hand, we are using more and more touchscreens, ranging from smartphones to those found in cars. In the future, we will integrate more haptic feedback. What’s also becoming more established is voice recognition. We’re already using it with smartphones or with Alexa and Siri in smart homes. It will be used in the future in other applications as well, for example in industrial production. Gesture control is also becoming increasingly popular.
But the HMI area also includes solutions for biometric authentication, such as facial recognition on phones or other applications, fingerprint scanners and iris scanners.
What I also find exciting are augmented and virtual reality. At this year’s Hannover Messe, for example, I observed a solution where a robot for the logistics sector is controlled via smart glasses.
Touchscreens are currently used almost everywhere – where is the development heading?
K. L.: Today, touchscreens are everywhere, and they are continually being improved and refined. We are already seeing 3D touchscreens and the possibility of integrating haptic feedback. In the future, touchscreens will also be combined with other HMI technologies such as gesture control.
How can haptic feedback be integrated into a touchscreen?
K. L.: Typically, a motor or piezoelectric actuator is used today, which provides a tangible response. There are also displays that have tactile feedback layers. They “create” buttons under the display so that you can feel when you press them. Feedback is not only relevant for touchscreens but also for other applications where buttons behind glass provide feedback. Here too, a motor is often used to provide a mechanical response. This is even possible when the operator wears gloves – although in this case, the feedback force must be greater, perhaps in a range of 1 or 2G, otherwise, you don’t feel it through the glove.
When we talk about HMIs today, we can hardly avoid AI. Besides its use in voice and gesture recognition – what role does AI play in HMIs?
K. L.: We may not always recognise it, but we are already using a lot of AI today – for example with smartphones and for voice or facial recognition. It is often used in image processing. In the future, for example with voice recognition, it will be about improving language comprehension and recognising more words. AI is also needed for Brain Computer Interfaces, virtual and augmented reality, or for predictive analysis. Machine learning will also play an increasingly important role, as it can enable the device to continue learning on its own, and perhaps even teach itself a new word.
What remains the key to an ideal user experience?
K. L.: One of the most important points is recognition accuracy. I experience this every day with my car – it understands some words, not others. So we need to have high accuracy and reliability. AI can help here. But there are a lot of other criteria for a good HMI: data protection, feedback, dealing with errors. But the most important points for me are reliability and accuracy.
With the range of technologies – how can EBV Elektronik help realise an HMI?
K. L.: We are one of the leading specialists for semiconductors. So we can help with the selection of suitable technology. We can also advise customers on software. For this, we have our segment structure with the different market and technology segments. This is also reflected in the field, with our Field Application Engineers for technologies and systems. And we can also provide support in production, supply chain management and all the other things needed to bring a product to market.
Do you also work with your sister companies from the Avnet group? How does the customer benefit from this?
K. L.: We do. For example, our sister company Avnet Abacus supplies connection technology, passive components and electromechanics. So we can cover the complete bill of materials. Avnet Embedded offers complete solutions for customer applications. They look after the development process, including production, and can work in a wide range of applications. And then we have our software specialist Witekio, which covers the entire development from the lower software levels to embedded applications and connectivity. EBV Elektronik is ultimately a full-service partner. This means the customer has only one point of contact through which they receive all the information and the entire service.
What do the current developments in the HMI sector mean from the semiconductor industry’s perspective?
K. L.: We clearly recognise the trend away from microcontrollers to microprocessors. This has a lot to do with the increasing functionalities of the touchscreen. This trend is now also transferring to other applications. The display itself is becoming more complex. This can no longer be met with microcontrollers. So in the future, it will depend on more powerful microprocessors. Of course, you also need more computing power to cater for the increasing use of artificial intelligence. Future 3D touchscreens will also require more powerful processors than in the past.
Which developments in the HMI sector do you find particularly exciting at the moment – and why?
K. L.: Voice and gesture recognition – because they enable natural interaction like with a human. They are helpful in many situations, both when driving and in industry. But the key to all this will be artificial intelligence.
Do you think we will be able to control machines with our thoughts alone in the future?
K. L.: That’s hard to say. But from a medical point of view, it’s a very interesting area. I hope this technology will be able to help people with physical limitations live better.
And do you understand the fears of many people when they think of a chip in their brain?
K. L.: On the one hand, I understand the fears, but I think it’s also a question of personal situation. Someone with a restriction and whose daily life could benefit from such a chip is likely to see the advantages. People who have no need for it are more likely to perceive it as a risk.
Finally: What fascinates you particularly about the topic of HMIs?
K. L.: For me, the fascinating thing is that the field is so broad. Starting with the on/off switch through touchscreens and voice recognition to the Brain Computer Interface. And after the HMIs we have today, something new will come along. I don’t know what it will look like, but people are investing time in research and development and trying to go new ways. I like that.
