Evaluation of a Multi-Actuator Haptic Handle for Virtual Reality Wheelchair Navigation

Navigating complex indoor environments can be challenging, particularly for individuals with impairments. This paper presents a navigation system using Virtual Reality (VR) and haptic feedback to support wheelchair driving training. Directional cues are provided through a custom multi-actuator vibrotactile handle, designed to replace a standard wheelchair joystick knob. It combines hard and soft materials to deliver precise and discernable vibrations at the palm. The system employs real-time pathfinding within a gamified scenario designed to maintain user engagement. A user study involving 18 participants evaluated navigation accuracy, task completion time, and feedback preferences comparing three conditions: Visual, Haptic, and Combined feedback. Gamification was used to increase engagement and ecological validity of the VR tasks; the study investigates how feedback modality performs within these gamified scenarios. Results indicate that although visual feedback produced objective performance comparable to the Combined feedback modality, the majority of participants (72%) reported preferring the latter condition, suggesting a trade-off between performance and perceived reassurance. Qualitative feedback suggests that the game-based elements created a sense of progression. Furthermore, haptic cues increased participants' confidence in navigating the environment, with users reporting a higher sense of spatial awareness.