APEX User Interface
Rotzler

Together with defortec, Rotzler Holding has developed a new generation of either wireless or wired remote controls for controlling cable winches and recovery systems (winches, cranes, outriggers, etc.) that function reliably in the most extreme environmental conditions. In addition to the housing development, the user interface development was essential to enable simple and intuitive use in the most extreme environmental conditions. The remote controls are part of the new ROTZLER APEX platform for control systems.

The new generation of controls should also take into account the variability of Rotzler: from the simple single control, which can operate a cable winch, to the dual remote, which can address up to two winches simultaneously, to the multi-remote, which can map complex operating and interaction scenarios - a challenge for the interface design.

Two factors were essential for a successful, well-functioning product: firstly, the ergonomics and housing of the remote controls, and secondly, an intuitive and contemporary interface that makes the complex interaction scenarios easy to handle.

Despite the ambitious project time of just six months, the development included both the design of the housings and the design of the interface for all three device sizes. This enables consistent and user-friendly operation across the entire product range.

When operating recovery systems, there are many parameters to keep an eye on, not just the tractive forces, but also loads, angular effects, etc. All of this should be mapped by the control system, but this is hardly feasible on a single screen for multi-winch systems such as those found in complete recovery vehicles (with cable winches, crane, outriggers, etc.). Therefore, defortec's UI design is based on a modular basic layout with numerical and proportional-analog displays for fast visual detection. This basic screen changes dynamically with the current operating situations. This means that the display only ever shows the functions and information that are relevant at the moment - which does not overwhelm the user (to reduce the user's workload). The basis for this is the fixed allocation of display areas for status messages, active control options or additional information. The colors displayed in the interface are based on the corporate colors and serve to differentiate the individual areas. All function options are labeled with newly developed, clear and easily recognizable icons.

During development, it was important that the display system could be implemented on all three display sizes, meaning that all control variants follow the same operating logic. That sounds simple, but brightness, contrast, color reproduction and the shape of the pixels usually vary with the size of the screens. All of this had to be verified and incorporated into the UI design. The compact display of a lot of information was a particular challenge for the project.