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Show HN: Elevators

1668 points · 413 comments · Jrh0203

  1. olex · · focus · HN ↗
    The biggest problem I always have with elevators is not the algorithm, it's the people seemingly being unable to grasp the concept of pressing either the up or the down request button, depending on where they want to go. Almost always I find someone will press both, because "then the elevator comes faster". Completely ignoring the fact that they end up going the wrong way first half the time, and adding an unnecessary halt for everyone already in there. How hard can it be to understand?..
    1. Georgelemental · · focus · HN ↗
      I don't think I've ever seen someone do that
      1. [deleted] · · focus · HN ↗

        [deleted]

      2. summermusic · · focus · HN ↗
        I haven't ever seen anyone do this in the United States, but I saw it in China and Italy.
        1. esperent · · focus · HN ↗
          I've never seen anyone do this anywhere in the world including Italy.

          I've never been to China but wouldn't you learn quickly after getting in an elevator going the wrong way not to do that again?

          The only exception I can see if there's way more people than elevators and you just need to get spot at all costs.

          1. the_af · · focus · HN ↗
            My wife always randomly hits the up or down button, then gets upset if I explain why she should only pick the one she really wants. She forgets the next time. I think some people never really understand how elevators work.

            See also: the keep open / close doors button. I had one building administrator explain to me we should add a delay of 10 seconds to the "quickly shut door" button because otherwise she kept getting her arm hit by the door. When I asked why we would add a delay to the button that's meant to reduce delays (why not simply wait for the door to close on its own, then?), and whether we should fix the sensor that prevents doors from closing if there's an obstacle instead, she just kept staring blankly at me. I don't think she understood me at all.

            Again, some people simply don't grasp how elevators work.

            1. superhuzza · · focus · HN ↗
              I fear in both cases, its not a lack of understanding of elevators but of common sense...
              1. contingencies · · focus · HN ↗
                For these people, replace the buttons entirely with a voice-activated destination request on proximity.
                1. superhuzza · · focus · HN ↗
                  Full circle back to elevator operators!
                  1. chuckadams · · focus · HN ↗
                    More like Star Trek turbolifts. Make them grab the handle first for that TOS feel.
                  2. contingencies · · focus · HN ↗
                    Primarily this fixes the bug in the interface which is allowing the user to input data that does not match their declared destination. However, a second benefit is that you can then obtain per-user destination information, which is useful in capacity planning and currently lost in shared direction-only button pressing. Finally, you could usefully use non-floor specifications, ie. 'Ladies underwear', 'ACME Co.', etc.
            2. brookst · · focus · HN ↗
              This reminds me of my partner, who always sets car air conditioning to 50F (the min) or heat to 90F (the max) because she thinks it makes it get cold or hot faster.

              And of course a few minutes later we’re freezing or roasting. She sees the temps setting as controlling intensity of cold/hot rather than just, you know, the temperature you want.

        2. [deleted] · · focus · HN ↗

          [deleted]

      3. tamimio · · focus · HN ↗
        Because most buildings now they just put one button so people stop clicking both
        1. what · · focus · HN ↗
          What? I’ve never seen that. The elevator needs to know which way you want to go.
          1. allannienhuis · · focus · HN ↗
            On the ground/lowest floor, there's only one button as there's only one way to go.
            1. tamimio · · focus · HN ↗
              And the top floor too
            2. what · · focus · HN ↗
              That’s not what they meant…
          2. cozzyd · · focus · HN ↗
            i just saw this for the first time today in Romania...
          3. userbinator · · focus · HN ↗
            It doesn't; it just needs to know it was called. You make your selection once it arrives.

            Look up the early history of elevators and you'll see a progression from fully manual in-car up/down controls (often with a dedicated human operator); various semi-automatic systems with minor improvements like automatic leveling and door control; and then operatorless systems that started with nondirectional calls:

            <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;liftescalatorlibrary.org&#x2F;paper_indexing&#x2F;papers&#x2F;00000073.pdf" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;liftescalatorlibrary.org&#x2F;paper_indexing&#x2F;papers&#x2F;00000...

          4. Ekaros · · focus · HN ↗
            It is reasonable if you either have low load say a residential building where lift is often idle. Or low number of floors where travel times in either case are short.
        2. rsanek · · focus · HN ↗
          That has not been my experience, and logically it doesn&#x27;t really make much sense. If you do so, you are making the problem strictly worse.
        3. userbinator · · focus · HN ↗
          Nondirectional calls are mostly found in very early (pre-war) or small building (3-4 floors) installations.
          1. userbinator · · focus · HN ↗
            Please see: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;liftescalatorlibrary.org&#x2F;paper_indexing&#x2F;papers&#x2F;00000073.pdf" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;liftescalatorlibrary.org&#x2F;paper_indexing&#x2F;papers&#x2F;00000...

            &quot;2.3 Non-directional collective Non-directive collective control provides a single pushbutton at each landing. This pushbutton is pressed by passengers to register a landing call irrespective of the desired direction of travel. Thus, a lift travelling upwards, for example, and detecting a landing call in its path stops to answer the call, although it may happen that the person waiting at the landing wishes to go down. This type of control is only acceptable for short travel lifts.&quot;

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