Start

Start

What does it represent?
Start or Play buttons - buttons that cause a machine to begin it's primary operation.

Verbal Description

1.  Right pointing triangle, 2. An arrow pointing right.  3.  An Isosceles triangle where the left side is a vertical edge and the top and bottom edges are of equal length, elongated, and intersect at the right side.  

How to remember

We often think of start or play as causing an action.  The arrow shape pointing to the right can make you think of causing motion in a direction.  

First Usage

Microwave Start buttons

Why this shape?

Precedent - cassette tape players used this shape for play and it evolved to represent the play/start button on video and audio controls.

Seemed like an obvious shape for the tactile icon set.

Improvements

Rounded corners and points consistent with other shapes.

Thoughts

Many existing play buttons appear equilateral (all sides the same length).  By extending the right point a bit longer it emphasizes the direction and supports correct orientation of the interface.  

Improvements

Rounded corners and points consistent with other shapes.

Other ideas

I can't think of any

Influences

1.  Music players such as Pandora.com

Pandora app on Apple iphone

• source - screen shot of Pandora app on Apple iphone, captured 12/9/2019

2.  YouTube Logo

YouTube Logo

• Source:https://www.youtube.com/about/brand-resources/#logos-icons-colors downloaded 12/09/2019

3.  1970s cassette deck

Controls for 1970s Cassette Player

• source ebay.com  https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WORKING-1970s-SILVER-FACE-PIONEER-CT-F6262-STEREO-CASSETTE-TAPE-DECK/401986413349?hash=item5d9841e325:g:OvcAAOSwvBpd6cd5, downloaded 12/9/2019

Speed

Speed

What does it represent?
Speed - controls that change the rate at which something moves

Verbal Description

Horizontal line, right end angles up.

How to remember
Speed is movement.  The finger speeds along the line when exploring this simple shape.

First Usage

Exercise machines, specifically a treadmill. The speed feature is used to control the treadmill belt speed.  

Why this shape?
Precedent - It is greatly influenced by the wind speed symbol system.  
Easy and fast - The line is an easy shape to recognize.  The fewer arcs and angles, the easier to recognize.  
A simple line would be meaningless so adding the angled line at the end is a tribute to both the wind speed symbol and the needle of a speedometer.  
Nothing else was better

Improvements
- Maybe change the angled line on the right to an arc.  

Thoughts
We often think of speed as something that goes fast but it really is a scale of slow to fast.  Using a fast symbol, like a rabbit or a lightning bolt, was not considered because it only represented one end of the scale. The symbol needs to show scale and it would be nice if variations could be used to indicate slow speed and fast speed. 

Influences
1.  Wind speed symbols.  

Wind speed and direction symbos

• Source: https://www.metlink.org/secondary/key-stage-4/weather-maps/student-charts/ downloaded 11/21/2019

2.  Vehicle speedometer - angled line is like the needle

Speedometer symbol

• Source https://www.freepik.com/free-icon/speedometer-icon_692213.htm. Downloaded 11/21/2019

Other ideas

1.  Speedometer icon.  too complicated

Speedometer icon

• Source: https://www.freepik.com/free-icon/speedometer_790901.htm#page=1&query=speedometer&position=24, downloaded 11/21/2019

2.   Foot - assuming human foot.  Is that anthropocentrism?  Whether that is the correct usage of the word or not, the foot is a way for a human to move.  Why not a car or a wheel or airplane?  

3.  Right pointing arrow - the start button.  Taken!

4.  Ramp - Used for the incline icon.  Taken!

HALOS Tactile Icon Library

Tactile icons are 3D physical shapes that convey meaning through touch.  The HALOS library of tactile icons is a consistent set of shapes that represent common machine interactions.  

HALOS stands for Home Appliance Labeling and Overlay System.  These tactile icons were created based on results of our experiment, Designing Touch Surfaces For the Visually Impaired.  Our website shows the HALOS tactile icon products - tangibleSurfaceResearch.com

This blog is used to showcase the HALOS library and provides background information on individual tactile icon designs.  Comments are welcome!