The Modern HMI Made Simple
14/01/2026
If you've worked with automation systems, you know the HMI (Human Machine Interface) is the operator’s window into the process. It shows what is happening, lets you control operations, and keeps production moving. But the role of HMI has changed as we’ve now move beyond simple screens and buttons into a world where connectivity, context, and collaboration matter just as much as traditional visualisation. This is the era of the modern HMI, and FactoryTalk Optix is leading the charge.
Closed vs open visualisation systems
Before we talk about what's new, let's revisit the two traditional categories of HMI solutions:
Closed Systems
These are dedicated, embedded solutions that are secure, rugged, and optimised for performance (e.g. PanelView terminals). They're great for machine-level control and offer low cost of ownership, but they're limited, and sharing data beyond the local system is possible but not intuitive.
Open Systems
Open systems run on standard operating systems like Windows 10 or 11. They are flexible, scalable, and familiar. Here, you can deploy powerful SCADA platforms like FactoryTalk View SE, giving you richer visualisation and integration. But even these systems were designed for a world where visualisation was the main goal, not connectivity or contextualisation.
Why a modern HMI matters
Today’s manufacturing environment demands more. It is not enough to just “see” what is happening, you need to connect, understand, and share information across machines, processes, and enterprises. That's why the modern HMI is built on four pillars:
1. Connect:
Beyond PLCs and drives, modern HMIs link to third-party devices, databases, and even cloud applications. Connectivity is no longer optional, it's essential.
2. Contextualise:
Raw data is overwhelming. Modern HMIs turn it into information models that make sense, so operators and decision-makers can act fast without needing deep technical knowledge.
3. Visualise:
Yes, visualisation is still core, but now it's about dashboards, charts, and widgets that present contextualised data, not just raw numbers.
4. Share:
Data should flow seamlessly. Modern HMIs make sharing intuitive, so the right person gets the right information at the right time on any device. Common technologies like OPC UA, MQTT, SQL, REST APIs, and a wide range of third-party drivers to enable data sharing are natively supported on Optix and FT View SE products.
FactoryTalk Optix
FactoryTalk Optix is a modern platform designed for today’s connected, data-driven industrial environment where users need more than screens and buttons - they need insight, flexibility, and scalability. With Optix, you can design, deploy, and scale visualisation applications across everything from standalone panels to distributed architectures. It combines powerful software with hardware options, creating a complete solution for HMI and IIoT.
Optix is cloud-enabled, which means you can design in the cloud, collaborate remotely, and deploy anywhere bringing agility and efficiency to your operations. Because it supports flexible deployment, you can run it on embedded panels, high-performance PCs, or headless edge devices like the Optix Edge gateway, adapting to your needs throughout the equipment lifecycle. The result is consistent, actionable insights across your entire operation. Optix empowers operators, engineers, and decision-makers with the right information at the right time, delivered securely and efficiently - it's how you future-proof your automation strategy and stay competitive in a connected world.
Ready to take your HMI to the next level? Register for NHP’s FactoryTalk Optix Training today.
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