Consider how some haptic information (input, output, or both) could be utilized to benefit user experience in the interface you’re proposing in your final project. This may also include a situation in which haptic feedback is used to augment visual, audio, or other sensory information. Explain why haptic information is best in this role. All students must post, please try to come up with an idea unique from your group member(s) or if necessary, expand upon a proposed idea.
I feel that haptic information would be utilized best in our devices if there was a concern for sensory overload or if someone may miss either the audible alert (background noise) or visual alerts (eye glass washout). The use of a haptic input will provide a good option for the wearer to still receive the alerts if other options are not as obvious. This could also work as a confirmation tone that the wearer took there medications or made an appointment though an interface with the calendar/watch.
In our compensatory augmentation project for older adults, we have already considered using some haptic feedback. The watch component, which the user wears, can be set to vibrate when the user is alerted when they receive any of the notifications they have configured. These include calendar events, warnings about hazards in the home, objects moving in their path and/or ice or water. As for haptic input, the interface on the phone, of course, uses a touch screen. I think the haptic component is often good for getting someone’s attention, particularly in situations where noise is higher than normal or a person’s hearing has diminished. Many times I can feel my phone vibrating when I don’t hear it (I usually set the volume low so it isn’t obnoxious. Right now, I can’t really think of any other way to use haptic feedback in our application but I’m sure that my team mates may think of something.
Haptic could be included in our interface to help get the user’s attention. It could be used to send vibrations through the seat to alert a user to something. The car I drive already does this, it has a flashing visual alert, an audible beeping, and even vibrations sent through the steering wheel to alert the user they are drifting out of the lane. In a self-driving car, this could be used to alert the user to a problem, or to warn of something about to happen (like rapid deceleration).
Although our system is already designed to include a vibration function to reminder users to take a medication, it is possible we can include more haptics in the system. The watch is quite versatile in how it can be programmed and any number of things can be added for haptics. The glasses are merely a visual tool and adding vibration to something like that would only serve to annoy users and blur vision if something is on the screen. Alternatively the watches function can be altered to include medication reminders, appointment reminders, even healthy eating reminders. With different types of vibrations at varying levels to get the users attention.
Haptic input would be a valuable tool for both input and output. The largest reason being that it seems to be a large issue for the users of Aira services that they use mostly verbal communications with the Aira agents. This can be an issue for privacy, in locations where it is socially unacceptable for noise, and noisy environments.
One use could be the warning for ice from Chloe could be a haptic feedback, similar in vibration to the Amber Alert system that phones use. Another option would be if the Chloe system tracked how walkable the sidewalk system was vs just detecting ice. If the walkaway was completely walkable, then no haptics would be returned. As an area was approached with little to no clear walking area, haptic feedback could give pulses that get faster and faster as the area gets worse. This would serve the user to be more careful, and then call an agent if it gets bad enough. This would be much less intrusive than constant audio feedback.
Similarly, haptic input from the user would be helpful in turning on or off the Chloe ice tracking from the handle of the white cane or from the guide dogs harness. This would allow a user to easily turn the system on and off as they go through situations where it is needed or not needed.
A last more advanced option would be to use haptics for hazard avoidance. If Chloe was sensing a walkway with areas that are more or less hazardous, haptic feedback could be provided on the sides of the Aira glasses. A haptic slight buzzing would indicate that side being more hazardous,, with the buzzing becoming more intense as the hazard becomes closer. If there is haptic feedback on one side of the glasses and not the other, it would serve as a direction to travel. Haptics on both sides would indicate a hazard in the direction of travel. The user could then adjust their heading to “test” which direction is least hazardous while simply using the haptics as continuous feedback.
In our Aira system, the haptics I would add would be noticeable mild vibrations to the glasses when ice is detected. I think this would be best because, when using Chloe, the sound might not be the best in extreme environments (for eg, in busy places or campus sidewalks where people are talking and walking) so there might be a lot of noise around. So adding a mild noticeable vibration to the glasses would be a good indicator in our system. I say mild noticeable vibration because personally I would not like a strong vibration on my glasses. This might be different with the explorers which can be explored.