Visual, auditory and haptic navigation feedbacks among older pedestrians

Abstract

As worldwide population is aging and concentrating in cities, designing a pedestrian navigation aid adapted to elderly specificities and needs could help in preserving their autonomy, as their cognitive and perceptive abilities may decline with age. This study was aimed at comparing visual, auditory and haptic guidance feedbacks among older pedestrians, taking into account their navigation performance and user experience. A virtual environment was used to measure time to destination and rate of correct responses. Post-activity interviews were used to access participants' perceptions, feelings and hesitations in a qualitative way. Results showed great performance and user experience for visual guidance, whereas performance and user experience were poor for haptic guidance.