Helping older pedestrians navigate unknown environments through vibrotactile guidance instructions |
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| Affiliation: | 1. IFSTTAR, French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks, Laboratory for Road Operations, Perception, Simulators and Simulations, 25 allée des Marronniers, 78000 Versailles, France;2. CEA, LIST, Sensory and Ambient Interfaces Laboratory, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;3. Laboratory CLLE (Cognition, Linguistics, Language, Ergonomics, UMR 5263, CNRS, University of Toulouse, EPHE, University of Bordeaux 3), University Toulouse 2, MDR, 5 allée A. Machado, 31058 Toulouse Cedex, France;1. Dept. of Intelligent Mechanical Systems, Okayama University, Japan;2. Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida, United States;1. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1005 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201, United States;2. MIT AgeLab & New England University Transportation Center, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-291, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States;3. Formerly of the MIT AgeLab & New England University Transportation Center, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-291, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States;1. University of Kansas, United States;2. University of South Florida, United States;1. Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia;2. Chair of Information and Communication Management, TU Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135 10623 Berlin, Germany;3. Chair of Information Management, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;1. Lab. for Transport Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, 75 Kallipoleos Str., P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus;2. Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 5, Heroon Polytechniou Str., 15773, Zographou Campus, Greece |
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| Abstract: | Many studies have consistently found evidence of aging-related navigation difficulties that lead to disorientation behaviors and/or reduced travel. Despite technological advances, older pedestrians mainly use paper maps to find their way in unknown environments while they have a lot of difficulties in using and interacting with them efficiently. In this context, the present study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness and acceptability and study older pedestrian’s behavior when wearing a vibrotactile instructions to help them finding their way in an unknown city as compared with visual instructions provided by a paper map. Fifty-eight participants (20 young adults ages 21–45, 20 younger-old adults ages 61–70, and 18 older-old adults ages 71–80) took part in a simulated navigation task where participants had to go from point A to point B in a virtual city. The task was performed either with a vibrotactile wristband delivering directional messages or with a standard paper map showing the visual instructions to follow. The data showed that vibrotactile guidance instructions improved the correct numbers of turns taken (left/right) at simple intersections. They also reduced travel time as compared with visual guidance instructions provided by a paper map. These benefits were greater among the older-old participants, who had trouble using the paper map and thus benefited greatly from the assistance provided by the vibrotactile guidance instructions. These findings suggest that such an assistance device using simple haptic guidance messages is able to improve older pedestrians’ mobility. |
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| Keywords: | Haptics Navigation Pedestrians Aging Virtual environment |
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