Human Rendezvous via Haptic Suggestion

Abstract

In this work we propose a wearable system to guide humans in structured or unstructured environments, with the aim of reaching simultaneously a rendezvous point. Directional and rhythmic cues are provided using wearable haptic interfaces placed at the subject’s ankles. The walking pace guidance is achieved through the synchronization of the user’s step cadence with the rhythm suggested by tactile cues. Directional hints are provided using different vibro-tactile patterns when reaching predefined locations called checkpoints. Here the estimated walking parameters are updated. The user retains complete access to audio and visual information from the environment, thus he/she is ready to react to unexpected events (e.g., moving obstacles). Exploitation of the proposed approach are assistive and rescue scenarios, human-human collaboration, as well as rehabilitation.