US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
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Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#2You know, I think touchscreens are not preferable unless you need/want to be able to have controls for many different systems in the same space (e.g. a smartphone with multiple apps). If you are needing a dedicated control for a high-stakes system, the fact that it's a more modern-looking interface should not matter. Touchscreens are inherently inferior to a mechanical interface, if it's a single-system (i.e. doesn't need to morph into a different and back again).
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#3Duh. Especially if an EMP hit.
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#4I'm having trouble visualizing exactly how this works from the text, but it sounds like a total nightmare. Some sort of complicated list of steps for transferring control screens between different stations on the ship, and it's not clear why or when you do this at all.
I'm guessing the Navy doesn't spend a lot of time on UI/UX, which is ironic since these long, high-stress shifts with lives on the line is exactly where it's needed most. I can't imagine a worse solution than a bunch of poorly designed, unintuitive screens being transferred all over the ship in a chaotic situation.
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#5You know, I think touchscreens are not preferable unless you need/want to be able to have controls for many different systems in the same space (e.g. a smartphone with multiple apps). If you are needing a dedicated control for a high-stakes system, the fact that it's a more modern-looking interface should not matter. Touchscreens are inherently inferior to a mechanical interface, if it's a single-system (i.e. doesn't…
This is why I detest touchscreens for most car functions. Specifically AC, with old fashioned knobs I have full control over AC without taking my eyes off the road, but nowadays everyone wants to put it on their infotainment system, hidden beneath 4 other buttons.
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#6You know, I think touchscreens are not preferable unless you need/want to be able to have controls for many different systems in the same space (e.g. a smartphone with multiple apps). If you are needing a dedicated control for a high-stakes system, the fact that it's a more modern-looking interface should not matter. Touchscreens are inherently inferior to a mechanical interface, if it's a single-system (i.e. doesn't…
Well user familiarity is important but not paramount. The Navy uses Xbox controllers in submarines and found that the learning curve for 19-year-old men is much better that way
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#7Duh. Especially if an EMP hit.
If an EMP hit, the ship will just cease to function.
There is electronics everywhere.
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#8You know, I think touchscreens are not preferable unless you need/want to be able to have controls for many different systems in the same space (e.g. a smartphone with multiple apps). If you are needing a dedicated control for a high-stakes system, the fact that it's a more modern-looking interface should not matter. Touchscreens are inherently inferior to a mechanical interface, if it's a single-system (i.e. doesn't…
I really think that nowadays touchscreens are becoming the cheap option. To me when I see a machine with custom designed button I know they had to do some mechanical design, whereas a flat touch screen just says "we slapped a tablet there and hacked an interface on android".
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#9Man for something like the main controls you would expect it to be manual.
Picture Boeing moving plane controls to touchscreen - I thing it would be disastrous. I bet the navy had contractors up selling touchscreen tech like crazy.
So many more points of failure for touchscreens it seems crazy
Re: US Navy will replace touchscreen with mechanical controls on its destroyers
#10I'm having trouble visualizing exactly how this works from the text, but it sounds like a total nightmare. Some sort of complicated list of steps for transferring control screens between different stations on the ship, and it's not clear why or when you do this at all. I'm guessing the Navy doesn't spend a lot of time on UI/UX, which is ironic since these long, high-stress shifts with lives on the line is exactly whe…
Transferring controls between stations seems to have obvious utility if you consider the desire to relieve sailors without removing others from their stations. Give the helmsman a bathroom break by transferring the controls to another's station rather than having the people move to the controls.
The whole splitting of throttle/steering controls seems a bit odd to me however. I can't imagine a situation where I was at the helm and didn't want the throttle at my command as well.