One of the first units I teach in both of my Interactive Media, and User Experience and Interface Design classes is the “then, now and future of the web.” The unit is intended to get the students to learn and think about where the web came from, where it is now and where it might be going.

We all know where the web came from, where it is now… but most of my students have a hard time imagining where it might be going.

I can’t say that I blame them since most of them grew up with email addresses that were less than 500 characters long and can’t imagine a browser that didn’t support the img tag.

They are not impressed by AJAX. They expect it.

But as we talk about the evolution of the web, their comments about the future are primarily centered on the idea of multimedia. They say, “more video, more flash, more bling, and more bang.” Again, I can’t blame them. They have been noticing the ever increasing level of multimedia on the web, and they are thinking … “well, the future must have a lot more of the same.”

I don’t doubt that the future will have more swish and ding, I tell them, “all media is converging on the web – it’s bound to happen.” However, I ask them to explain to me how different that really is from where we are now? Blank stares swallow the room. Then someone surely says, “faster downloads, better experiences, better content, blah, blah, blah.” I persist. How is that really different?

Eventually someone will hazard a guess about how we interface with the web – the mechanics; the space between the screen, keyboard, mouse and the user’s eyes, ears, and hands: the human computer interface. And that’s when the discussion really starts.

The method for user input and system output/feedback on the web has not changed since day one. I argue, and we explore different ways that users can input information to the system - and similarly, the ways it can provide feedback. Suddenly, the idea of a “truly immersive experience” starts bouncing around the room. Sci-fi or not, my students get excited about an online experience where the user interface with content is not mediated by plastic and LCD.

Granted, this is exciting and completely impractical right now. But this is, after all, a discussion about the future. Yet the future might not be that far away.

User interface devices are being pushed by engineers and visionaries all around us. Take a look at some of my favorite examples below:

Bluetooth Laser Keyboard. That’s all I am going to say about that. Check it out.

Jazzmutant. Multitouch sensor technology that allows users to input data in different ways than we are used to.

The KHRONOS PROJECTOR. Push a screen to move forward in time. The amount of pressure acts as a control for how fast you move forward.

Optimus keyboard. Still a keyboard, but not just any keyboard… “Every key of the Optimus keyboard is a stand-alone display showing exactly what it is controlling at this very moment.”