The previous unit discussed the properties of the visual medium and the implications of what we know about human vision for the design of interactive systems. Of course, vision is not the only way we are able to perceive the world around us, and in this section we shall discuss the properties of some of our other senses, especially hearing, and the implications that these properties have for user interface design.

In addition to considering how senses other than vision may be used in human-computer interaction, we will also look at the mechanisms by which sensory inputs are processed by the human cognitive system. In particular, we shall look at how we are able to pay attention to certain sensory stimuli and mental activities, while ignoring others, and what implications this has for interface design. Finally in this unit, we will outline how human memory works, and once again take a look at the relevance this has for interface designers.