Pushing the limits of ATC user interface design beyond S&M interaction: the DigiStrips experience

Most designs proposed for air traffic control workstations are based on user interface designs from the early 1980s, though research in user interaction has produced innovations since then. Project Toccata federates a series of research held at CENA on new user interfaces and services for ATC. Virtuosi and DigiStrips are two prototypes developed for Toccata, which make use of touch screens and served as a basis for research on the use of graphical design techniques in user interfaces. This paper describes the lessons learnt in that experience and argues that techniques such as animation, font design, careful use of graphical design techniques can augment the possibilities of user interface design and improve the usability of systems. We finally analyze the possible implications on ATC workstation design.

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