UI Metaphors of the future

Part One: Instinct

By: Pedro Alava Jr.

User interface metaphor is a set of user interface visuals, actions, and procedures that exploit specific knowledge that users already have of other domains, mean how we recognize and interact with microwaves, TVs, smartphones, everything with a screen or nubs; we have been doing it for decades. I get it is easy. If we see it, the brain will analyze and understand it. No fear, just peace. But how can we teach our brains not to fear, If we can’t touch what we see? I’m referring to Augmented Realities and Virtual Realities.

Don’t know why? But I’m thinking all this sitting on a bench while watching my buddy Marcos in a tennis match squash by a 20-year-old Russian kid we met at the Tennis Club last week. Maybe because, In a way, I want to forget that I go next. Nah, I always have loved a good challenge. Oh! I remember why I started thinking all this.

I imagined a Visual Projection of myself playing against this Russian Kid and giving me the best options to beat him. That would be nice. But if that would ever exist in the future, it had to be something that would feel like a second nature action, just like.

When you are driving, texting, eating, singing, and following the GPS simultaneously on the freeway, all this is at the speed limit because you saw a highway patrol thru the rearview mirror. How in the world are we humans doing this?.

Decades ago, people believed that our bodies would disintegrate if we crossed the threshold of 45 miles per hour; please google this if you don’t believe me. Then tell me how we can do all this I mentioned before? Called it a well-defined UI interface metaphor. Called it what you want. I call it instinct.

Coming back to the tennis club, an old fashion interface would be dumb to be used in this situation. This virtual projection of myself needed to be summoned at a subconscious level because it is too complex for me to decide now due to my lack of judgment for the upcoming very soon public humiliation in the hands of this blond brat. For this future app to work well, it would need to anticipate all this. It would require to function as an instinct, not as a decision.

Anyway is too late for me; the Russian score his last ace on Marcos. So I’m next. There is no futuristic app on a futuristic app store to save me. Nah is just me against all odds. I hope I don’t break a leg literally. Till next time, Bye.