In years gone by the choice on offer when buying a Human Machine Interface (HMI) was comparatively limited.
Indeed, in the pre-digital era – although different HMI and manufacturers certainly existed – the capacity of machines to perform unique and tailored tasks that were highly-customized to the needs of each individual plant or process was far more minimal. 
However, we have finally reached the rise of the digital HMI era with touchscreens – like those available from RS Components – as those have quickly become a focal point that has changed the industry forever, and for the better, that is.
Let’s look in-depth at why these changes are so significant to the past, present, and future of HMIs and those who use them.
A Case of Old and New
As aforementioned, the analogue form of HMIs did the job in their time and era, but today cannot offer the same advantages that HMIs with touch screens can. In analogue HMIs, the use of switches, buttons, and lights can be serviceable – but also pose a real problem if the HMI needs servicing!
The reality is that operators need to rely on these limited signals with a measure of trust and faith that they’re displaying the correct information, and in turn that various components like lightbulbs for the lights haven’t burned out and failed to display correctly. This isn’t the case with digital HMIs that have a touch screen.
Greater Clarity and Feedback
Thanks to the digital interface it’s easier for users of HMIs with touch screens to receive information from the HMI that is clearer, more informative, and more versatile. There’s also the capacity to not only simply read, but engage with the data.
In an analogue HMI it is not possible if desiring more information to quickly acquire it – after all you cannot solder on a new button or light to start flashing with a particular function in mind – but HMIs with touch screens offer considerable scope for customisation and the capacity to dive deeper into information when required. How this can be done too is also an advantage of HMIs with touch screens.
The Special Advantage of Software
HMIs with touch screens also offer an easy avenue for integration with additional software (the software that does not come inclusive with a HMI machine at the time of its initial purchase).
With the rise of digital devices that utilise touch screen functionality over the past decade – such as smartphones, tablets, and “hybrid” laptop-tablets – this phenomenon could be viewed as a natural step in advancing the capabilities of HMIs with touch screens.
But even if that is the case, this natural step has become a significant milestone of progress, as there’s the capacity for software in future to continue to evolve and enhance the functionality of today’s HMIs with touch screens without needing substantial adjustment to the hardware featured within them.
Touching on the Issue
Just as touch screens have substantially changed the way in which we use HMIs, it’s important to be mindful of the many exciting innovations that remain ahead.
By a large number, these innovations are ones we can glimpse at but not yet fully see. Key examples of this are the expectations surrounding the greater use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud technology.
Just as so many touch screen HMIs are today already terrific, dynamic and intuitive to use, we can look forward to ongoing enhancements and possibilities as we look ahead in the 2020s.
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