Dynamic route descriptions: tradeoffs by usage goals and user characteristics

Principles are empirically established for various multimodal representations of route descriptions that are found to facilitate aspects of user navigation performance on significantly different levels. Some representations clearly minimize navigation completion time, navigation error, and/or distraction to focal view, while others hinder these goals. Furthermore, user characteristics such as brain lateralization and information type preference relate to significant differences in representation effectiveness. "Best Choice" route depictions are presented based on experimental participant performance data from a simulated navigation task. Results may be useful in information design for helmet-mounted displays and other wearable computing devices.