274
Stefano Burigat and Luca Chittaro
Fig. 12.11. In the LAMP3D system, the user selects objects with a stylus to obtain information
on them [7]
the user. The distance between the user’s position and each POI is mapped directly
onto the loudness of the hearcons. Moreover, by using different sound families for
different types of information, the sources can be distinguished through the sense
of hearing.
Finally, an additional approach to support navigation consists in the use of route
sketches, that is, graphical abstractions of a route that provide users with essential
information about it. Arrows are a frequently used abstraction: they are familiar to
users of car navigation systems and can be ideal for users with limited orientation
and map-reading abilities. As reported in [24], the main advantage of route sketches
is also their limitation since the high level of abstraction may also take away information that would help a user to find her way. Moreover, this approach is highly
dependent on the accuracy of information on user’s orientation. If this information
is inaccurate, users may be provided with wrong directions, thus compromising their
navigation effort.
12.3.4 Combining Audio and Visual Directions
In [12] we carried out a user study to compare different ways of improving users’
navigation abilities by combining visual and audio directions on location-aware mobile guides.
Stefano Burigat and Luca Chittaro
Fig. 12.11. In the LAMP3D system, the user selects objects with a stylus to obtain information
on them [7]
the user. The distance between the user’s position and each POI is mapped directly
onto the loudness of the hearcons. Moreover, by using different sound families for
different types of information, the sources can be distinguished through the sense
of hearing.
Finally, an additional approach to support navigation consists in the use of route
sketches, that is, graphical abstractions of a route that provide users with essential
information about it. Arrows are a frequently used abstraction: they are familiar to
users of car navigation systems and can be ideal for users with limited orientation
and map-reading abilities. As reported in [24], the main advantage of route sketches
is also their limitation since the high level of abstraction may also take away information that would help a user to find her way. Moreover, this approach is highly
dependent on the accuracy of information on user’s orientation. If this information
is inaccurate, users may be provided with wrong directions, thus compromising their
navigation effort.
12.3.4 Combining Audio and Visual Directions
In [12] we carried out a user study to compare different ways of improving users’
navigation abilities by combining visual and audio directions on location-aware mobile guides.