Guidelines for Head Tactile Communication

Abstract : A helmet-mounted tactile display is desired for military applications such as cueing to alert Soldiers to the direction and location of an event or indicating movement direction in GPS-supported navigation. However, the system must be compatible with the head sensitivity of the user to ensure the user's optimal perception of the provided information. The purpose of this report is to document the overall findings of the basic research program regarding head tactile sensitivity and to provide answers to two basic questions: (1) What locations on the head are most sensitive to vibration stimulation? (2) What is the optimal frequency for tactile signals to be applied to the head? The overall findings are discussed and are considered as initial guidelines for head tactile communication and for using vibration stimulation on the head.

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