Buttons Archives
October 14, 2006
Boom Box Controls
Keyboard Consol
Dishwasher
Oven
Cordless Phone
The "find handset" button is clever. The designers realized that the phone part often gets lost and is annoying.
October 15, 2006
Security Alarm Control Panel
October 16, 2006
Security System Panel
Love the giant A, Z, and Call buttons here.
Motorcycle Hand Controls
Probably a lot can be discovered and utilized from the multiple buttons and levers of a typical motorcycle's hand controls. Imagine a mouse as functional.
Intercom
October 17, 2006
Apartment Building Doorbells
Note the USPS Bar Code label at the bottom.
Laundromat Dryer Control Panel
Laundromat Washer Control Panel
Not sure how/why some of the bulbs burned through the plastic buttons...
October 19, 2006
Push Button For
via Gino Zahnd
October 20, 2006
Hidden Dishwasher Controls
Only visible by opening the dishwasher.
Coffee Maker
These icons are pretty incomprehensible to me, but then I don't drink coffee. (Apologies for the lousy photo.)
Motorcycle Parking Meter
Yes, that's me in the reflection. Sigh.
October 24, 2006
Numeric Door Lock
Press to Exit
Fire Alarm Control Panel
October 26, 2006
Airline Boarding Pass Reader
People don't appreciate taking pictures of equipment in airports, I've found.
October 27, 2006
Elevator Buttons by Touch
"What I wanted to bring your attention to is that the numbers are duplicated - there’s a number on the actual button and then a raised number above the button.
Why?
My guess is that due to the nature of the intended use of the raised number - that is, to be read through touch - that if the raised letter were on the button then a person may accidentally trigger the button whilst attempting to read the button and figure out what the button will do once pressed."
How, though, does a visually-impared user know if the label is above or below the button they want to push?
October 28, 2006
Chromatic Tuner
Input is an internal microphone. When the played note is on pitch, the light is green.
October 29, 2006
Mini-Bulldozer Joystick (left)
I really like the clarity of the controls diagram.
November 3, 2006
Hand Scanner Lock
Apologies for the blurry photo, but had to be taken quickly. Note the hand diagram. I bet we're going to see a lot of this sort of thing.
Programmable Safe
Hotel Room Phone
Parking Payment, Toronto Street
Love the "Maximum Time" button, since that's probably what most people do most of the time when parking at a meter.
November 4, 2006
This Button Not In Use
Wow.
November 5, 2006
Emergency Stop
"Red emergency stop button on industrial machine in a factory."
Server Call Button
In an Osaka restaurant, according to the photographer.
Japanese Crosswalk Button
High Fidelity
Delta Air Lines Cockpit. 757?
Be sure to view this photo in Flickr to see all the controls detailed out. Very cool.
Sex Machine
View larger in Flickr to read the button labels. No comment on the form.
Toilet Control Panel
Photographer says: "These are the controls of the toilet in a restaurant in Ginza. Most of the toilets in Tokyo are remote-controlled. You can control the strength of the splashing water. I even saw one with a "flushing sound" button."
November 6, 2006
Toaster Oven Control Panel
Emergency Telephone Button
Love the "Help Is On The Way" light.
November 7, 2006
Espresso Buttons
I think I understand these icons...
Tech.Know.Logical.023
Rhode & Schwartz dc power supply.
November 9, 2006
Korg Oscilloscope Panel
"Korg EA-1 Mk II analog modeling synthesizer. Portamento is how quickly it changes pitch so you can play it like a piano or make it sound like a siren. The rest is for the two oscilloscopes and the type of each and how they interact with each other (modulation). Also can patch in the audio in, instead of Osc 1."
November 11, 2006
Decaf
Muni Kiosk Display
What does the button marked with the handicapped icon do? And the repeat button? And the numbers below each of the buttons? And the unused buttons? What a mess.
November 13, 2006
November 14, 2006
Digital Thermostat
Coffee Maker Controls
Optional Safety Switch
Redundancy
Awesome.
November 20, 2006
Canon 400d Screen and Controls
November 26, 2006
Super Pump Panel
Hotel Radio
This interface, since travelers won't know the stations or their frequency in a new city, makes perfect sense.
November 29, 2006
Speed Queen
Love the instructions with cute icons.
Dryer Controls
Interesting there needs to be an "available" light, that the control panel isn't just unlit.
November 30, 2006
Solid State 8-Track Stereo
Groovy indeed.
December 3, 2006
ACD Button
Is this a button or a switch? A switch would make more sense, because you could push it forward for front-wheel drive and back for rear-wheel drive.
Panic Button
Panic!
Control for Heating/Cooling
Possibly from a winery.
December 9, 2006
Pay Here
Danger Crushing Hazard
IDT Prepaid Phone Card Machine
"Press Product Button to Begin." Wouldn't "Choose Dollar Amount" (like the other instructions say) be better directions?
Robo Coffee
Also makes tea and hot chocolate ("Choco").
December 20, 2006
Water Dispenser
Does a water dispenser need an interface this complicated?
One Armed Bandit
Old Pedestrian Lights Button
Elevator Buttons
Apparently you can only go to certain floors...
Call for Elevator
Another example of good design from BART.
Strange Elevator Buttons in Paris
Oh those wacky French.
January 1, 2007
Stove and Oven Control Panel
It's complicated to operate a stove these days.
Frequency Switches
In an air traffic control tower.
Car-Ferry Control Panel
Hotel Room Controls
In an Indian hotel.
Wii Controller
The more "traditional" one.
January 20, 2007
Railroad Engineer's Control Station
Fancy Toilet Computer
Mitsubishi Jet Bridge Control Panel
January 22, 2007
Maytag Washer Interface
February 4, 2007
Pennsylvania Lottery Machine
I suppose you have to know what the different types of lottery tickets you can buy are--the interface doesn't really tell you.
Monroe Adding Calculator
Interesting that clear ("enter") buttons are often on the right.
Home Pong Game
1970s Calculator: Elka 103
A rare Bulgarian made calculator, with soviet components inside. The M button means it has some sort of memory...
Sinclair ZX81 Keys
This was my first computer (albeit a "Timex Sinclair" in the US.
Olympia RAE4-15
Canon Canola1614P
I love the font on the display numbers.
Big Buttons
Beer Control
February 21, 2007
Lights Controls on an Organ
From the description: This is a pull-out panel on the left side of the organ console. The numbered buttons are a control panel for the sanctuary's light system, allowing the organist to control the lights from the organ console.
GVG 200 Control Panel
A video production switcher. I love the "Fail-Safe" feel of this panel, with its differently lit buttons.
Missile Silo Monitoring Station
Check out the Titan Missile diagram. Also: I see a rotary phone dialer, but where is the handset?
Bathtub Control Panel
In Japan of course. From a comment: "Once you've selected the temperature and the tub volume, press the two bottom buttons and plug up the bath. 10-15 minutes later, your bath has been perfectly drawn."
March 22, 2007
Airport Gate Controls
Digital Interface Tester
Any ideas what this is? Neat looking, whatever it is.
Air Traffic Control Station
April 27, 2007
Miele Slimline Dishwasher Controls
The space makes it impossible to have much more than buttons.
CNC Control Panel
No idea what this is. Looks like it is circa 1985.
StrippitTurrentPunch
Used for punching parts out of sheet metal.
Nagoya Washer + Dryer Control Panel
Wow, so complicated.
Rabbits and Snails Label
Love the illustrations for labels!
Gatherer and Binder
Red Baron Arcade Game Controls
I don't remember this game.
May 6, 2007
Hospital Bed Remote Control
Love the icons, especially the "I'm in pain" one.
May 14, 2007
Taiwan Airport Toilet Controls
Disney World Monorail Controls
Nearly all digital, except for the giant red stop button.
May 17, 2007
Vtech Little PC Fun
Precomputer 1000
Note the colored keys. And the handle!
By god, that is one tiny screen.
Exploratoy
A little smaller and this could be a neat form factor for a mobile device.
Vsmile
I don't know what this is.
May 24, 2007
Cherry Picker Controls
Wow, what in the world does this diagram mean?
Portable Oxygen Tank Controls
Car Wash Buttons
June 13, 2007
Toyota Auris 2007 Dashboard
A car with modes!
Music Controls
Crane Controls
Amazing how simple these are for such a large and powerful object that can be extremely dangerous.
Old Subway Controls
In a museum in Glasgow.
Bridge of the Viking Sun
"That little joystick-wheel is how the captain steers the ship."
June 19, 2007
Refrigerant Management Center
BionX Electric Motor Control Module
August 28, 2007
Atomic Coaster Controls
Hard to tell if the red panel are buttons or a display. Guessing they are for emergency use by the operator in case the coaster is in trouble.
Cluttered Analogue Instrumentation Un-refurbished Class 318 Train
Look at the Flickr photo to see all the notes on this one. Everything is mapped out.
The Basics
Start, Stop, Reverse.
Japanese Toilet Control Pad
This is probably the nicest one of these I've seen yet. They are usually overly complicated.
October 4, 2007
Garwood Controls
Colorful.
Boat Buttons
Piste Basher Cockpit
This is the inside of one of those giant snow groomers. Cool. Looks pretty complicated, with those two joysticks on the right.
Lexus LS600hL with RX400h * Double "h" * Rear-Seat Audio Controls
October 6, 2007
Mixer
Aircraft Navigation Equipment?
Data Entry
Only 1-7 and 0. Wonder what this was for.
October 23, 2007
ATV Throttle
Ye Olde Airplane Passenger Basic Controls
You know, the ergonomics of these kind of suck. If you are elderly, how do you reach up to adjust the air flow? It requires some detail hand work and these things never work very well--it is difficult to get the right flow of air aimed in the right place. Especially since you have to change your position to adjust the air, then when you sit down you have to test to see whether it is hitting the right spot on you or not, often requiring more adjustment, etc.
September 20, 2010
Lexus LS600hL with RX400h * Double "h" * Rear-Seat Audio Controls
September 2, 2011
Road Runner Game
About NIBIT
No Ideas But In Things is a library of controls, animations, layouts, and displays that might be a source of inspiration for interaction designers. Dan Saffer is the curator.
The title comes from a William Carlos Williams poem.
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