Augmenting the user experience of touch input with vibrotactile feedback

Abstract

Touch input has changed how we interact with digital content presented on various displays. The interaction has become more intuitive, allowing users to manipulate content more directly and naturally, significantly increasing user performance for a wide range of applications. In education, it has allowed diversification of educational resources in classrooms by adopting diverse touch-based devices, such as large touchscreens, interactive whiteboards, or virtual reality (VR) headsets. Despite the higher engagement compared to traditional learning, touch interactions can be further perfected by integrating vibrotactile feedback as part of a multimodal approach. Herein, I will present the results of several studies conducted to evaluate the User Experience (UX) of touch input augmented with vibrotactile feedback delivered on different body parts, increasingly farther from the point of interaction with the touchscreen. The results show that at the arm level, the users prefer to receive vibrotactile feedback on locations very close to the interaction point, such as the finger or wrist. However, in scenarios concerning the whole body, other body locations, e.g., the abdomen, emerge where vibrotactile feedback has a positive impact on the UX of touch input.