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human-scale time

Human-scale time refers to the range of time that is directly perceptible and relevant to human beings in their daily lives. It encompasses the durations over which we can maintain attention, the time it takes to perform tasks, and the span of our lives. In contrast, “real-time” refers to events or processes that occur instantaneously or within a very short time frame, often as they happen, without any noticeable delay.


Human Scale Time

Human scale time is based on the physical and mental capabilities of humans, as well as the social constructs we have developed. It is characterized by:


  1. Distance: One to two meters, which corresponds to the human arm’s reach, stride, or height[1].
  2. Attention Span: Seconds to hours, which is the typical duration over which humans can focus on tasks or events[1].
  3. Life Span: Approximately 75 years, which is the mean life expectancy at birth[1].
  4. Mass: Kilograms, with human adults typically weighing in the range of tens of kilograms[1].


These measurements are within the range of human experience and are used in everyday life. They contrast with scientific measurements, which often involve scales much larger or smaller than human scale, such as astronomical or quantum scales[1].


Human-Scale Time in the Context of Real-Time

When discussing human-scale time in the context of “real-time,” we are often referring to the interface between human perception and the instantaneous nature of real-time processes. For instance, real-time data is valuable for human-scale AI applications because it allows systems to provide information and responses that are timely and relevant to human users[6]. This immediacy is essential for creating systems that feel responsive and intuitive at a human scale.


Moreover, the concept of real-time is also used in media to describe narratives that unfold at the same rate the characters experience them, which aligns with the human-scale perception of time[8].

In summary, human-scale time is the framework within which we experience and measure our world, while real-time refers to the immediate processing and response capabilities of systems. When these two concepts intersect, it is in the creation of technologies and narratives that are designed to operate within the bounds of human perception and cognition, providing immediate and relevant experiences that align with our natural sense of time[1][2][5][6][8].


Citations:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_scale


[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/real%20time


[3] https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/08/putting-time-in-perspective.html


[4]

https://prezi.com/wjtqqehcurfe/geologic-time-scale-vs-the-human-time-scale/ [5] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/real-time [6] https://solutionsreview.com/data-integration/human-scale-ai-value-needs-real-time-data-2-keys-to-know/ [7] https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/human-scale [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time [9] https://blog.codinghorror.com/the-infinite-space-between-words/ [10] https://www.pps.org/article/placemaking-and-the-human-scale-city [11] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/real-time [12] https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/einstein/time/a-matter-of-time [13] https://www.jstor.org/stable/43621773 [14] https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/real%E2%80%93time [15] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog30/node/317 [16] https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/lrm22/lessons/timeline/24_hours.html [17] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/real-time [18] https://pybullet.org/Bullet/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=3998 [19] https://simplicable.com/architecture/human-scale [20] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/in-real-time [21] https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Scheme-explaining-the-difference-between-clock-time-a-which-is-just-a-scale-for_fig1_334707066 [22] https://spaces.roche.com/buildings/human-scale/ [23] https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/real%20time


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