Development and evaluation of navigation system with voice and vibration output specialized for persons with higher brain dysfunction

Higher brain dysfunction (HBD) is an umbrella term used for the aftereffects of conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, cerebrovascular disturbances, and encephalitis. Approximately 60 % of persons with HBD lose topographical orientation very easily, which prevents them from walking outdoors without a caregiver. Persons with HBD find existing smartphone navigation applications difficult to master even with extended periods of training; therefore, a smartphone application that can be used by persons with HBD to facilitate independent walking was developed. The new application is simple and easy to use and routes can be specified by caregivers. The system outputs messages via dialogs and voice with vibration, when attention is necessary in cases where the user has arrived at certain sub-goals or has gone off-route. Experiments were conducted with subjects without a disability and HBD subjects to evaluate the effectiveness of the voice and vibration functions. The results showed that the subjects felt that the system was effective and highly usable. However, the average result from the eye mark recorder showed that the viewpoint was concentrated on the smartphone. The result of a second trial conducted with HBD subjects revealed that the average value of time spent observing the device, the number of times the device was observed, and the percentage of time tend to reduce.