Can you imagine though how sore our necks would get by constantly looking down?

This is raising an ergonomic issue, which I can appreciate as I already experience pain from hours spent working on a computer. I see a distinct separation between workstation based systems, and consumer multi-touch devices which I don’t see merging into one unified approach. I don’t see a pointer device disappearing completely (from workstation based systems at least) - I perhaps see screens acting as a tablet with a pen becoming more of a standard like a Wacom Cintiq-21ux - http://www.wacom.com/cintiq/cintiq-21ux.php.

Our work-based system could end up like in the movie ‘Minority Report’, but that raises an issue of possible RSI injury extending to the arms and shoulders and not just the mouse hand (which I now experience).

Although I now work as an interactive art director, this left-field point of view or focus comes from my background in Industrial Design study and an early interest in ergonomics, which explains my diversion from the main topic. I though it would be interesting to discuss the factor of human interaction and ergonomics with devices of the future.

What do you think?

And then there’s the possibility of digitizing and abstracting these tools. Steve Jobs argues that a blank surface allows for a far richer, and more adaptable set of interfaces, and I have to agree. (Word suggestions on a keyboard is a good example.) It’s a tradeoff between tangibility and flexibility (and convenience), I think, and perhaps digital versions of rulers and keyboards will prove to be worth the tradeoff.

but given the “innacuracy” of our hands doesn’t mean things should be made bigger to accomodate them. rather we have a long history of creating our own tools to be more precised. i.e. pencils, rulers, etc. these types of customary devices should be incorporated but hands should not be excluded.

i agree with allen tan about the future being large screens i too posted about emerging physical interfaces a while back here and here. it seems obvious to me that in future workspaces it will resemble the drafting rooms of days past (i.e. microsoft sustainability )

these are exactly the types of discussions that need to be had, and creators of not only web content need to anticipate retihinking how users interact, but creative software companies, adobe, autodesk, etc. need to as well.

thanks.
Ken