Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction Best Paper Award

Paper Abstract
Due to the loss of visual perception, blind and low-vision individuals (BLV) often rely on assistive navigation devices to determine direction while traveling. In the development of such devices, designers frequently employ tactile vibrations to convey directional information through touch. However, most existing studies encode information mainly through vibration frequency and amplitude. Although such parameter-based schemes can convey rich information, they typically require substantial training before users can decode the cues accurately. To address this limitation, we propose Spativibe, a sequential vibrotactile encoding method based on a three-dimensional (3D) spatial layout. Spativibe combines a 3D arrangement of vibration actuators with temporally ordered vibration patterns to establish two mappings: (1) vibration location–spatial orientation and (2) vibration sequence–directional guidance. We conducted a within-subject evaluation comparing two vibrotactile methods: Space, which uses single-line encoding based solely on a 3D spatial arrangement, and Spativibe, which uses dual-line encoding that integrates spatial arrangement and sequential patterns. Results showed that BLV participants achieved higher directional identification accuracy with Spativibe, indicating improved discriminability and accuracy of directional perception. Overall, Spativibe has the potential to enhance BLV users’ spatial orientation cognition and improve mobility experience.

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