A head-based vibrotactile compass for cyclists

Abstract

Cycling stimulates the human mind and body in manifold ways. However, even on a leisure ride, certain waypoints or destinations must be reached. Therefore, orientation is a crucial task for every cyclist. Vibrotactile systems for cyclists do not clog up the visual and auditory senses needed to experience the immediate environment. However, our literature survey shows that previous work focuses on turn-by-turn navigation systems and does not leverage the potential of vibrotactile feedback on the head. Since the head is not in direct contact with the bike, we argue that vibrations occurring naturally are less confounding. Moreover, head movements are already crucial for wayfinding. We present an unobtrusive orientation system for cyclists with head-based vibrotactile feedback – a vibrotactile compass. In a user study, we show the feasibility of our system.