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Sonja Rümelin
NaviRadar: A Novel Tactile Information Display for Pedestrian Navigation
Diploma Thesis, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 2010. (bib)

This thesis introduces NaviRadar, an interaction technique for mobile phones that uses a radar metaphor in order to communicate the users correct direction for crossings along a desired route. A radar sweep rotates clockwise and tactile feedback is provided whenever the radar scans the users current direction and the direction in which the user must travel. A first, indoor study evaluated the overall concept. Moreover, six different tactile patterns were compared to communicate the two different directions and the distance to the next turn. The results show that people are able to easily understand the NaviRadar concept and can identify the correct direction with a mean deviation of 37 degree out of the full 360 degree provided. Communicating directions via different rhythms and distance with intensity showed to be the most distinct combination, so this setting was used in a second, outdoor study, where NaviRadar was compared to two other non-visual systems in a realistic navigation task. NaviRadar achieved similar results in terms of perceived usability and navigation performance when compared with spoken instructions, and less error and disorientation events when compared with another system using a interface based on vibrations. By using only tactile feedback, NaviRadar provides distinct advantages over current systems. In particular, the user is able to concentrate on the main task of walking as visual attention is not required. Moreover, the lack of needed audio attention enables it to be used in noisy environments and to concentrate on environmental sounds like approaching cars.