Designing Tactile Cues: Factors Affecting Perceived Salience and Recognition.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate effects of tactile cue characteristics on operator perception, learning, recall of assigned meaning, and interactions of recall performance given stationary versus tasks with demands on operator attention. In the first experiment, twelve multitactor cues ("tactions") represented differences in tactor actuator signal characteristics (complexity) and sequencing of cue activations (pattern location type). The second experiment replicated the first experiment, using a different task demand, and included assessments of aspects of working memory (visual, auditory) and spatial ability. Results demonstrated significant differences in operator perception of tactions and recall while stationary and during task performance, due to differences in taction complexity and pattern location type. Tactions having static locational repetitive patterns were more easily learned and remembered. Participants scoring higher in visual and audio working memory were associated significantly with higher recall accuracy of tactile cues.

Field-Based Validation of a Tactile Navigation Device.

In this paper, we present three field-based evaluations of a tactile land navigation system. In Experiment 1, we transition from a laboratory setting to rugged terrain used to train US Army soldier land navigation. Navigation in this challenging terrain requires careful attention to one's surroundings. Participants navigated 3 waypoints along 600 meters through heavily wooded terrain, using 1) map and compass, 2) standard alpha-numeric handheld GPS device, and 3) the tactile GPS system, while also responding to radio requests for information. Experiment 2 used the same challenging terrain during night operations, where participants must also search for live and silhouette targets, using 1) handheld GPS device, 2) head-mounted map-based GPS, and 3) the tactile GPS system. In addition to navigating, participants searched for silhouette and live (human) targets. Experiment 3 had participants navigate with 1) a commercial GPS arrow display, 2) the tactile GPS system, and 3) both together. We conclude that tactile navigation displays can be used in strenuous outdoor environments and can outperform visual displays under conditions of high cognitive and visual workload.