Sci-fi Interfaces
scifiinterfaces.com · Personal blog · on HN since 2012
Sci-fi Interfaces analyzes user interface design in science fiction films and shows, from Hackers to Her and Jurassic Park.
What HN saysHN commenters recommend it as a source for deep analysis of sci-fi UIs, alongside other fantasy interface collections.
27HN people shared it
17linked it in comments
13stories submitted
211story points
9 months agolast shared
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Most-shared posts
- 1Sci-fi Interfaces12 people · 167 points · first shared 2012 · 7 comments on HN
- 2Sci-Fi Interfaces: Hackers (1995)2 people · 2 points · first shared 2023 · discussion on HN
- 3'Her' Interface Components2 people · 2 points · first shared 2019 · discussion on HN
- 4The secret of the tera-keyboard (2013)2 people · 1 points · first shared 2024 · 1 comments on HN
- 5UX of Speculative Brain-Computer Inputs1 people · 32 points · first shared 2020 · discussion on HN
- 6Bitching about Transparent Screens1 people · 3 points · first shared 2018 · discussion on HN
- 7The Design of Evil (2019)1 people · 2 points · first shared 2024 · discussion on HN
- 8SciFi Interfaces – Example from Black Mirror1 people · 2 points · first shared 2019 · 1 comments on HN
- 9Idiocracy tv1 people · first shared 2021
- 10The memory doubler1 people · first shared 2018
- 11The wearble combadge1 people · first shared 2019
- 12Ghost in the shell 19951 people · first shared 2018
- 13St gods intake1 people · first shared 2023
- 14Iron man hud a breakdown1 people · first shared 2019
- 15Thanatorium the patients experience1 people · first shared 2023
What HN people wrote when they linked it
sxp · 2022-04-21
https://old.reddit.com/r/FUI/top/?sort=top&t=all is another favorite of mine. If you want an excessively deep analysis of sci-fi UIs, I suggest https://scifiinterfaces.com/
On a related note, does anyone have good recommendations for real-world "power UIs"? I.e, computer user interfaces that have a steep learning curve but are extremely powerful once mastered. E.g, vi/emacs or one line bash scripts + *nix CLI programs. AutoCAD/Blender and other 3D modeling tools also have good UIs once you go through the pain of mastering them and learn how to use them with one hand on a keyboard and one hand on a mouse.
moralestapia · 2021-12-13
NGE has always been a favorite of me because of the UIs that are represented throughout the series. The new(ish?) movies are just gorgeous, I highly suggest you give them a try if you haven't already.
If you like this, you may as well enjoy: https://scifiinterfaces.com/
voytec · 2024-09-11
Sci-fi Interfaces is a good source of similar content
https://scifiinterfaces.com/
_kb · 2024-06-28
https://fsv.sourceforge.net
There's a great write up at https://scifiinterfaces.com/2023/11/27/jurassic-park-1993/
yencabulator · 2022-04-22
amasad · 2016-06-26
Reminds me of a similarly awesome blog deconstructing user interfaces in scifi: http://www.scifiinterfaces.com/
pavel_lishin · 2016-06-03
If you like this, you might also enjoy the SciFi Interfaces blog, which analyzes actual interfaces used in SciFi films and TV shows, and rates them based on usability, likelyhood, etc: http://www.scifiinterfaces.com/
derefr · 2014-02-14
Another good blog on a similar topic: http://www.scifiinterfaces.com/
lloeki · 2024-12-01
An analysis of the layout and usage of the so-called tera-keyboard:
https://scifiinterfaces.com/2013/07/24/the-secret-of-the-tera-keyboard…
Worth a read, notably the estimated achieved speed in comparison with a human brain. I won't spoil you, but it allowing chords has... consequences.
The article also asks how a human brain could process such interaction so fast; well in GITS canon cybernetised brains are augmented/enhanced beyond normal human abilities.
The article also raises the question of why this and not a direct connection. I would yet again argue the possible security implications, notably in the context of the Puppet Master being around.
But it could also be a gracefully degrading interface, and a less cybernetised person may still be able to operate it with normal hands, or even a non cybenetised one, albeit of course at a massively reduced speed.
IOW ed is the standard text editor / it's a Unix system, I know this. After all, what better interface than text via stdin/out to scale from normal hands/eyeballs to max line rate?
EDIT: the first comment actually raises both interop and security concerns!
nickthegreek · 2026-02-06
Nice little blog post that looks at these interfaces in the movie:
https://scifiinterfaces.com/2023/12/11/hackers/
sho_hn · 2023-12-30
No obligatory "Soylent Green" reference?
https://scifiinterfaces.com/2022/09/13/thanatorium-the-patients-experi…
SigmundA · 2023-11-14
Was very interested to see what Amazon could do with healthcare, looking at the page the first thing that popped in my head: https://scifiinterfaces.com/2018/10/12/st-gods-intake/
EvanAnderson · 2021-06-21
I'd forgotten that TV UI from Idiocracy. Now that I see it it certainly does seem a bit prescient: https://scifiinterfaces.com/idiocracy-tv/
(Then again, sadly, a lot of that movie seems prescient...)
Jun8 · 2019-05-30
Some of the posts that I liked:
* Her: https://scifiinterfaces.com/2014/02/11/her-interface-components/
* Enterprise combadge: https://scifiinterfaces.com/2014/01/23/the-wearble-combadge/#more-5680
* Ironman HUD: https://scifiinterfaces.com/2015/07/01/iron-man-hud-a-breakdown/#more-…
hateful · 2018-10-02
Reminds me of Johnny Mnemonic: https://scifiinterfaces.com/2016/11/23/the-memory-doubler/
MrEldritch · 2018-08-03
Even more relevant - the Sci-Fi Interfaces blog, which analyzes various science-fictional interfaces in movies from an actual UI/UX standpoint.
https://scifiinterfaces.com/category/ghost-in-the-shell-1995/
sargstuff · 2024-07-01
Think the only thing historical science fiction/Blade Runner photo inspect scene[0] didn't forsee was voically having AI assist/analyze photo to summerize list of items/objects avaliable to zoom/view. (vs. pan/zoom around). Although altavista glasses / hand gestures[3] would have been a future concept at the time, too.
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[0] : https://scifiinterfaces.com/2020/04/29/deckards-photo-inspector/
[1] 'mirror reality' image / TERI[2] : https://www.hackster.io/news/blade-runner-s-image-enhancement-tool-nea…
[2] : TERI, almost IRL blade runner move image enhancement tool : https://news.ycombinator.com/edit?id=40844595 / https://github.com/iscilab2020/TERI-3DNLOS/tree/TERI
[3] : Gest : https://news.ycombinator.com/edit?id=40844704