Keywords

Haptics, Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction

Abstract

The Chariot System is a bystander and environmental awareness system that uses vibrotactile haptic feedback delivered via a wearable. It was designed with the goal of using a subject's haptic channel to keep them aware of their surroundings thus freeing their visual channel to focus on and enjoy a virtual reality (VR) experience. This work contributes to the space of VR research that aims to keep users aware of the outside world while in VR, an area that typically focuses on using visual notifications but rarely applies haptics. A user study involving 24 participants was conducted comparing the Chariot System to an analogous visual notification system to determine haptic feedback’s efficacy of alerting participants to virtual passersby while partaking in two different but common VR tasks, watching a video and playing a VR game. After going through each condition, participants filled out the NASA-TLX and System Usability Scale surveys to gauge their experience with both systems. The survey results as well as their accuracy and response times to notifications were then analyzed to compare the performance of both systems. Our findings show that while reaction time using the visual notifications was faster, participants found the use of the Chariots less mentally taxing and preferred. This work could possibly be expanded upon in the future through the addition of real time sensors and more portable power sources for the wearables such that the VR user could physically move around in the virtual environment and be made aware of them approaching or being approached by oncoming persons or obstructions.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

LaViola,Joseph

Degree

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (M.S.E.E.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Identifier

DP0029391

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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