TOUCHSCREEN HMI
iVTInternational.com June 2019 33
CAN THE HMI CLUSTER STANDARDIZE CONTROLS?
The mushrooming complexity of
construction machines has spawned
a rapid proliferation of humanmachine
interfaces (HMIs), which
differ widely between manufacturers
and are often overloaded with
elements. These HMIs are not
always multilingual and can involve
non-intuitive operating logic which it
is costly and time-consuming for new
operators to learn, even when moving
between brands in the same machine
class. Consequently, construction
companies are beginning to call
for both standardization and
simplification of cabin controls.
In response, a group of companies
working through the HMI Cluster in
collaboration with the German Mechanical
Engineering Industry Association (VDMA)
presented a new HMI concept at Bauma
Munich 2019, intended as a rallying call to the
industry at large.
“Complexity is increasing due to digitalization;
to reduce that we are using simple symbols, that
are always the same,” explains Alexandra
Herrmann, director of communication at Fritzmeier
Cabs. “We want to build the architecture in
a similar way and develop a uniform HMI concept,
making it easier for drivers. We are working to
bring our OEM partners on board, though some are
hesitant, having invested considerable energy and
resources
in their own
systems. But
we believe the
industry needs to
converge and offer a system everyone can use. Our
open-source concept will allow all partners to chip
in and we hope to win over many OEMs, creating a
revolution in the industry.”
“We set up the cluster together with Fritzmeier
because we feel that a cross-manufacturer
standard will be important going forward,” adds
Ralf Lüddemann, commercial manager at
construction firm Leonhard Weiss. “This starts with
the use of the same symbols per operating group,
continues with the positioning of the operating
groups and extends to the redundant control of
safety functions.”
As with INTUSI and Preh’s proposed systems
(both examined in the main body of this feature),
the HMI Cluster’s Bauma concept is centred on
a touchscreen working together with joysticks
and switches.
“A CROSSMANUFACTURER
STANDARD WILL BE
IMPORTANT GOING
FORWARD”
Ralf Lüddemann, commercial manager,
Leonhard Weiss
mixed electrical architectures
in one cabin.”
As implements and control
features multiply, vehicle cabs are
often cluttered with multiple
standalone displays, while at the
same time OEMs fight for every
inch of space to ensure good allround
visibility. “Now, they must
follow the automotive industry in
having a more harmonized
electronic structure with all the
components on a CANbus network,
allowing communication between
HMI elements.”
Touchscreens, he believes, will be
crucial to structuring all on-board
functionalities under one unifying
logic, acting as the conduit of
information-exchange between
human and machine.
The power of screens
Almost infinitely adaptive,
touchscreens offer a defining
advantage in allowing an operator to
switch intuitively between relevant
menus when driving, loading, using
an implement, responding to
diagnostics or documenting work in
the field.
“A car’s mission profile gives you
12-15 under-menus; in a tractor, it’s
easily 40,” says Jendis. “For a multimission
tractor, I must adapt the
HMI to my use-case. If I can do that
on a screen, I’m totally flexible.”
HMI science touches on
psychology in seeking heuristic and
intuitive control which can allow
inexperienced operators to quickly
master new machines. Navigating
a touchscreen is now second nature,
ingrained in everyday experience of
the smartphone era, so that using
them to structure machine
functions banks considerable
cognitive capital. “You know from
your mobile phone: if I see
something, I can touch, slide, turn
or move it. Everyone knows how
zooming goes, so the cognitive
effort is minimal,” says Jendis.
Meanwhile, increased
production of robust,
automotive-grade
touchscreens is driving
down cost, and making
them an increasingly
competitive option.
Bright future?
But bringing touchscreen
control into tractors or
2007
The year the first touchscreen
smartphones were released.
LG’s Prada handset was
available in May, a month
before the first iPhone
/iVTInternational.com