As automation increasingly grows connected and packed with sensors, artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies have the potential to play a significant role in human-machine interface (HMI). HMI, according to Inductive Automation, is a user interface that connects a person to a machine, system, or device. While the term can technically be applied to any screen that allows a user to interact with a device, HMI is most commonly used in the context of an industrial process.
According to a recent report by Tractica, global automotive HMI software revenue is expected to grow from $462.8 million in 2018 to more than $4.6 billion in 2025 as a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.8 percent. The vast majority of the revenue, more than 98 percent in each year of the forecast, will come from voice and speech recognition. Voice assistants for driver assistance and infotainment will grow throughout the forecast period. And those for infotainment and instruction will emerge particularly for fleet-based autonomous vehicles.
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Tractica also expected that the market for driver face analytics and emotion recognition will grow during the forecast period due to driver monitoring. However, it will happen at a limited pace due to a lack of aftermarket solutions. As autonomous vehicles gain mass-market adoption after 2025, face analytics and emotion recognition adoption will accelerate. Gesture recognition is viewed as a limited market for automotive HMI.
In transportation, AI-based HMI is focused on driver controls, driver/occupant/monitoring/safety, and information. Most experts believe that the connected car market will, with the help of aftermarket devices, grow rapidly and plateau for a number of years. However, a fully autonomous vehicle era will grow more slowly due to regulatory and technical challenges. And yet – the connected car market share point will represent the majority automotive market.
The driver of this increasing HMI automation is that 65 percent of human population in 2050 will live in an urban area where autonomous transportation systems will make more sense both logistically and economically for last-mile transport in an urban setting than a rural setting. China is predicted to be the leading market for AI-based automotive HMI. There is an urgent market need for evolved last-mile transportation in the country’s dense urban cores. China’s ability to move quickly in terms of smoothing the path via regulation will jump-start the HMI automation in terms of robo-taxi.
Apart from transportation and infotainment, what can HMI give to the workplace?
HMI is likely to be robust and able to withstand a harsh environment. It means it is very applicable for any devices in offices. An AI-based robot is predicted to work fully side-by-side with a human in the workplace by 2025. Thus, acknowledging yourself with HMI and AI-based automation is important. According to Carotron, HMI products are useful to maintain safety at work.
There are numerous benefits of installing an HMI system in your facility, including:
alarms/ warning, – alarm provided by HMI can locate malfunction of equipment and react faster. It can also be used to track various problems and optimise manufacturing processes to increase productivity.
reliable messaging, – relying on HMI for pages, faxes when certain events happen can ease the job of a human. For example, HMI can warn you whenever a machine is fuel is low or needs to be refilled which will extend the machine for longer use.
cost reduction, – HMI can reduce operation cost as it can replace hundreds of selectors such as push button or indicator lights. It means you don’t need to buy an additional panel, cables, or consoles.
“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to the inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” – Bill Gates
Furthermore, Tractica believed no individual market will reach mass-market penetration for autonomous living, especially in terms of vehicles by 2025. But many countries will have autonomous vehicle initiatives underway – and those that do not will be moving in that direction. So, as an individual, living in continuous technology is between somewhere between easy and hard. You should understand the system in order to up-skill your ability and to not let automation eat you alive. Likewise, Tractica suggested that you should pay attention to these points.
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