Human–machine interfaces

In any industrial control system, the human–machine interface can be used to deliver information from machine to people, allowing them to control, monitor, record, and diagnose the machine system through devices such as image, keyboard, mouse, screen, video, radio, software, etc. Although many techniques and methods are used in industry, the human–machine interface always accomplishes two fundamental tasks: communicating information from the machine to the user, and communicating information from the user to the machine. Two types of user interface are currently the most common. Graphical user interfaces (GUI) accept input via input devices and provide an articulated graphical display on the output devices. Web user interfaces (WUI) accept input and provide output by generating web pages which are transmitted via the Internet and viewed by the user via a web browser. These types of user interfaces have become essential components in modern industrial systems, for example, human–robot communication interfaces, SCADA human–machine interfaces, road vehicle driver screens, aircraft and aerospace shuttle control panels, and medical instrument monitors.