Investigating the effects of vibrotactile feedback on human performance in navigation tasks

Vibrotactile feedback which can provide real, comfortable and effective interaction experiences has become indispensable in human computer interaction. Many researchers working with vibrotactile feedback in navigation scenarios have proposed a variety of different methods of vibration. However, there is little work that has explored the relationship between navigation speed and vibration feedback both in intensity and modes. In order to find the answer, we implemented a prototype supplying with several vibration feedback modes and designed two exploratory studies to evaluate the human performance with different navigation speeds. We found using a hand-held vibration feedback device can reduce the workload of visual and auditory channels. The results also show that the speed of navigation has a significant influence on the rate of vibration mode identification. This paper contributes to the basic understanding of vibration feedback and offers implications for the future design of vibration feedback in navigation scenarios.