Understanding indoor orientation through wearable vibrotactile feedback

The main goal of this work is to better understand how vibrotactile feedback obtained through wearable actuators can support indoor orientation in unfamiliar buildings. We designed different wearable vibrotactile prototypes (two wristbands, a flexible/rigid glove, one wristband, a cap and two-bands), and we analysed them in a preliminary test with 7 users to identify the design aspects that are most relevant for a solution guiding a person indoor. We describe the design and its evaluation with 36 users, discussing the results that can be useful for developers who want to use this technology within applications that need support for indoor orientation.