Indoor Walking Navigation Comparing Electrotactile Feedback with Map and Audio

In an era where technology greatly facilitates navigation, we explore the potential of electrotactile feedback for indoor walking navigation, contrasting it with traditional map and audio-based methods. In a user study (n=12), we evaluated key metrics, including navigation errors, supervisor interventions, task completion time, and the System Usability Scale. While our findings indicate that electrotactile feedback serves as a feasible alternative, it was slower compared to conventional methods. The study revealed a broad spectrum of user preferences between discontinuous and continuous electrotactile feedback, reflecting its subjective usability. Overall, electrotactile feedback demonstrated satisfactory usability, yet our research underscores the necessity for further investigation into its effectiveness and integration into wearable technology for improved indoor navigation solutions.