--- prev: - [[input]] - [[sensor]] - [[system boundary]] - [[flow of energy and information]] next: - [[output]] - [[actuator]] parent: - [[system boundary]] publish: true aliases: - >- An interface is a region of a system boundary that supports the flow of inputs and outputs - interface process tags: null created: 2021-10-13T11:28:37-05:00 updated: 2022-04-08T17:57:21-05:00 --- » [[cybernetics|Cybernetics MOC]] + [[system boundary]] + cf [[interface ontology]] which sits between two fields. --- An interface is a region of and process at a [[systems boundary]] which supports the flow of inputs and outputs (sources and sinks). ### Sensors and actuators An interface process can contain [[sensor|sensors]] which perceive flows and stocks and *evolve to contain* an [[actuator]] which regulates the flow of energy, matter and information to the system which guides decision-making, information processing and more. > [!important] > Interfaces are important to systemic understanding because it can support connections can bridge reductionist and divisive boundaries.^[For more on this, see [[An appeal of systems research is finding order where others don’t]]] - next:: [[🌳 Active interfaces enable adaption for movement]] <div class="sketchfab-embed-wrapper"> <iframe title="Interface Process" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; xr-spatial-tracking" xr-spatial-tracking execution-while-out-of-viewport execution-while-not-rendered web-share src="https://sketchfab.com/models/4a8b0ae4df7c4121873c72e97868c2c3/embed"> </iframe> <p style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin: 5px; color: #4A4A4A;"> <a href="https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/interface-process-4a8b0ae4df7c4121873c72e97868c2c3?utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=share-popup&utm_content=4a8b0ae4df7c4121873c72e97868c2c3" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1CAAD9;"> Interface Process </a> by <a href="https://sketchfab.com/chrystemics?utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=share-popup&utm_content=4a8b0ae4df7c4121873c72e97868c2c3" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1CAAD9;"> chrystemics </a> on <a href="https://sketchfab.com?utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=share-popup&utm_content=4a8b0ae4df7c4121873c72e97868c2c3" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1CAAD9;">Sketchfab</a></p></div> ## Energy partition An [[energy partition]] can cause component parts to realize interaction potential depending on component personalities, which is important for [[self-organization]] and other [[common leverage points]]. As such, interface are like gateways in transportation where agents move from different forms of transportation^[see [[Energy partition (systems concept) and gateways in transport are isomorphic]]]. Transportation, like energy must have a form. ![[3D model of information transmission and protocol.png]] _{An interface process with the blue arrow pointing to the sensor/interface} ### Examples - child:: [[Mind-brain interface]] - child:: [[synapse]] - child:: [[interface ontology]] - child:: [[interoperability (enables increased efficiency and decentralization, can prevent lock-in effect in initial conditions)|interoperability]] - child:: [[Transfer points at the interface points between different transport systems|transfer points between different kinds of transport systems]] %%![[Interface process.excalidraw.png]]%% ## Related + [[The language of decomposition in systems analysis]] + [[🌳 Active interfaces enable adaption for movement]] + [[The processes of sensory interfaces constitute systemic expectations and beliefs about the environment]]