Future of User Interface Design
Interfaces have come a long way to amaze us in numerous ways as technology progresses. We use the user interface to engage with technology. We began with text-based commands, then learned about Windows and Apple operating systems, which allowed us to utilize a mouse cursor, and now we are watching the growth of touch screens and hand gestures. Aside from computing, voice user interface design augmented reality, and virtual reality all allow for more immersive interaction with gadgets. Businesses are using augmented reality and virtual reality to dazzle customers and increase revenue. Because of their ease of use, Alexa and Google are becoming increasingly popular.
The future of UI design is rapidly emerging as a new area in the user experience domain. All of this is possible because of the rising acceptance of technology such as smart speakers, augmented reality, voice assistants, and virtual reality.
With the advancement of technology, the focus of User interfaces has shifted from usage to look and feel to stand-out interfaces. It’s affecting the way we engage with others.
Different user interface designs in future
Let’s take a look into the future of user interface design and see what awaits us.
01. Brain-Computer Interface
In plain terms, a brain-computer interface (BCI), also known as a direct neural interface or a brain-machine interface, is a tool that allows a person (their brain) to communicate with a system (an external technology).
Neurons in our brain send and receive signals from other nerve cells. These neurons produce brain waves, which operate the system in the brain-computer interface. The BCI captures brain waves and delivers them to a computer system to complete the work at hand.
The brain generates electric impulses in response to our ideas, and each thought has its own brain wave pattern. The wave signal is used to control an object and express a concept.
Electrocorticography (ECoG), for example, has emerged as a promising signal platform for brain-computer interface research and development. Electrical brain signals are measured using electrodes put directly on the exposed brain surface in ECoG.
02. Gesture Recognition
Gesture Interfaces are interfaces that are controlled by hand movements or touch, such as scrolling, tapping, pinching, tilting, shaking, and so on.
In today’s tech world, gesture-based UI has gone a long way and is gaining traction in the future of user interface design.
Gesture recognition interface technology reads body movement with sensors or a camera and sends the information to a computer, which identifies gestures as input to control devices or programs.
Gesture recognition requires movement input from a hand-held controller, a camera that captures movement, or another input device such as gloves.
This form of interface is commonly used in video games, entertainment, and mobile devices to communicate or control them.
Example: XBOX 360 Kinect uses gestures to navigate the home screen, sign in or play a game. The future of gestural user interfaces in gaming includes the use of gesture-capable movements and touch screens that provide greater gaming control, mostly for 3D gaming.
03. Wearable Computers
Wearable computers (or wearables) are small electronic devices that can be worn on the body (mostly the wrist). Smartwatches, wristbands, rings, pins, eyeglasses, and other accessories are examples.
Wearables act as a helping hand in completing physical chores and reminding you of your daily routine. The majority of gadgets are employed for health-related duties such as monitoring heart rate, cholesterol, calorie consumption, and so on.
Using a smartwatch as an example, linking it with a smartphone allows it to emulate several of the smartphone’s features. It provides call, email, message, and tweet notifications once it is paired. Google Glass and AI-powered hearing aids, for example, are highly developed instances of wearable technology.
04. Voice User Interface
Voice User Interfaces, or VUIs, are audio, visual, and tactile interfaces that allow people to interact with devices using their voices. The presence of a visual interface is not required for a VUI.
Voice With smart assistants like Siri, Alexa, Google, and Cortana, the user interface has achieved revolutionary success, with speech being the main mode of human communication. The future of user interface design is now, and it’s becoming better and better as machine learning capabilities expand with more engagement.
People prefer voice interfaces since it allows them to work faster and save time. Voice interfaces require less intellect and more intuitive responses, making it simple for users to complete tasks or simplify their work.
For example, using Google Assistant, you can type messages by speaking them out loud.
Voice technology is only the beginning; there is much more to this future of user interface that tech gurus have yet to discover.
05. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is no longer a cutting-edge concept. Companies have been exploiting the AR experience in a variety of apps, games, glasses, and systems, despite the fact that acceptance levels are still at an early stage. It has yet to reach its full potential, however.
AR uses computer-generated input to enrich the real-world environment and add perceptual simulated or virtual content, transforming the objects around us into an interactive digital experience. It has made inroads into a variety of industries, including healthcare, retail, gaming, entertainment, hospitality, tourism, education, design, and so on. In these industries, the application of augmented reality has improved the user experience.
For the record, when it comes to users’ interests, AR aids in decision-making and selecting the finest potential product or alternative. Most people are familiar with the ripples IKEA made when they released its augmented reality app that allows customers to choose and arrange furniture in their homes and rooms, as well as decide on the appearance and feel depending on their input.
AR has demonstrated promise for a wide range of applications, which is why the market has been saturated with and influenced by this technology. The future of UI design with AR is quite likely to have a significant impact on the market.
06. Virtual Reality
Virtual reality, or VR, is a seasoned technological player, but it has risen to new heights in recent years with the launch of VR headsets.
Virtual Reality creates a three-dimensional artificial environment that can be explored and interacted with, providing a unique experience. The virtual environment is designed to give the user the impression that they are in a real place.
Virtual reality’s potential to provide immersive and entertaining experiences is propelling it into new industries such as health, architecture, gaming, entertainment, hospitality, and the arts. It’s just that additional research and technological improvement are needed before a high-potential interface can have a significant impact on our daily lives.
Current-generation UI design tools
The visual experience of a digital product is the core of user interface (UI) design. It includes all of the colors, fonts, and artwork you see on the screen, as well as the buttons, scrollbars, and swiping actions you use to traverse the interface.
To create a pleasurable user experience, good UI design is required. If you’re a digital designer of any type, you’ll need some dependable user interface design tools in your kit. Followings are some of the current-generation tools.
01. Sketch
Sketch is a powerful and flexible UX and UI design platform built for collaborative design. It has long been considered an industry-standard tool, ideal for both beginner and advanced designers.
However, bear in mind that Sketch is only compatible with macOS.
02. Adobe XD
Adobe XD is considered by many as the go-to design tool. It’s fast, it’s powerful, and there’s not a lot you can’t do with it! From early ideation and low-fidelity designs, right through to impressive animations and true-to-life prototypes, Adobe XD will see you through the entire UX and UI design process.
03. Figma
Figma is ideal if you’re looking for an all-in-one tool to cover everything from ideation to interactive prototyping — wrapped up in a delightfully intuitive interface.
Next-generation UI design tools
Nowadays more tools are being created to easier the design stuff. Today’s design programs are better than what we had before, but they don’t take advantage of contemporary technologies, preventing us from reaching our full potential as UI designers.
Some of the next-generation tools are:
01. Integrating Design and Code
Future user interface tools will combine design and coding to give designers and developers a more seamless experience. Current tools aren’t assisting in the creation of web user interfaces. They’re assisting in the creation of abstract representations of online user interfaces. The designs of mock-ups are separated from the source code. As a result, designers require a visual development environment that not only allows them to design but also generates production-ready code.
02. Parallel creation that will replace designer and developer hands-off
When translating a design to code, there are many back and forths between designers and developers. However, with next-generation design tools that interface with source code, developers will no longer be solely responsible for creating user interfaces. Instead, they’ll be able to concentrate on creating the logical architecture that ties a product’s user interface to its back end.
03. Design UI Tools and developer software will align
Next-generation UI tools will interact directly with source code, removing the need for throwaway deliverables and allowing designers and developers to work on the same project (source code)
04. Mock-ups Will Become Obsolete
It’s impractical to create mock-ups for every scenario, especially when all breakpoints and views are taken into account. As a result, mock-ups are a waste of time and money. Mockups have been phased out in favor of responsive, interactive prototypes, according to Webflow. These kinds of tools may be improved in the future.
05. A World of Developer Tools and Third-party Browser Extensions Will Open Up
During the design process, once our work is in HTML and CSS, a full ecosystem of extensions will become available. The browser toolset is far more useful than any of the Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD plugins for generating and testing production-ready UIs.
Impact of the future of User Interface Design on everyday life
People nowadays use tablets and laptops in their everyday routines. Our target audiences are slowly moving away from print forms and seeing all of their content on a range of digital, web-capable devices since 90 percent of all media interactions are screen-based. As a result, future UI interfaces will have an impact on consumers’ daily lives. The following are some examples.
01. Gesture interfaces
As shown in Minority Report, these futuristic user interfaces. Hand gestures can be used to complete complex tasks. Imagine being able to play video games with such powers.
02. Light Ring
It’s a type of technology that can turn any flat surface into a user interface. On a book, your knee, or the wall, you can tap, draw, flick, and drag. Wearable computing is taken to a whole new level with this technology! Imagine being able to control your device from anywhere and in any way you like.
03. RoomAlive
This technology has the potential to transform your living room into a gaming paradise. Another application is to utilize virtual home decorating to project what you want to rearrange or add to your home’s décor.
04. Skin buttons
This technology allows a smartwatch’s interacting zone to grow without physically expanding it.
The benefits of this subject matter are described in this article in the context of daily life. Have you considered the negative consequences of future UI trends? When people stare at a screen/virtual item for an extended amount of time, their eyes may become tired. People may become isolated as a result of their technology. Due to environmental circumstances, the following sophisticated UI may not be applicable in some cases. When creating UIs, designers should have a thorough understanding of future UI trends, tools, and impact. Designers keep in mind the key characteristics that will entice users to return time and time again.
References:
01. https://www.quickreviewer.com/what-is-the-future-of-user-interface-ui-design/
02. https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/blog/user-interface-ui-design-tools/
03. https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/future-ui-design
04. https://www.getwrecked.com/the-future-of-ui-design-and-how-it-will-impact-our-everday-lives/
