A simplified vibrotactile navigation system for sightseeing

We propose a new sightseeing support system that allows users to focus on environmental information at tourist sites. The main aim of our project is to enable users to recognize the physical positional relation between their current position and their destination. The user moves our device in a 360-degree circle around his body to perceive direction and distance to the destination through the sense of touch. When pointed towards the destination, our system enables the user to estimate arrival time through simple information provided by the device. Furthermore, because the system does not hinder the user´s vision or hearing, from the aspect of sightseeing and safety, our approach advances tourism. In this paper, we evaluate an information presentation method that uses vibration to provide the direction and distance to the destination. We also show the results of a navigation experiment using our system.