The Computer of the Twenty-Third Century: Real-World HCI Based on Star Trek

Abstract

There is a long way to go before our current levels of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) reach the levels seen on Star Trek. At the same time, it is surprising just how many of those fictional futuristic features are currently technically possible. All that is missing is the ease of use and reliability that were conveyed in Star Trek. To get there, we have to teach our technicians and engineers to focus more on the dependability and usability of technology, and less on profit-based iterative cycles that push devices to be faster, smaller, and disposable. In 1991, Mark Weiser was driving the development of new devices at Xerox PARC when he wrote an article describing the state-of-the-art of HCI at the time and discussing the psychological and technological changes that would be required for an advance towards the HCI he imagined would exist in the near future. This inspirational treatise was called “The computer of the 21st century”. Twenty-five years later, we look to the fictional HCI of the Star Trek franchise and lead our students to imagine the changes that could make our current state-of-the-art more like “The Computer of the 23rd century”.