ATT brings gaming wheel idea to car GPS
AT&T Labs has been conducting experiments that would bring the haptic (vibration) feedback of steering wheels for video games to the real-world in a practical sense. The new method would communicate GPS driving directions through vibrating the wheel in patterns, such as clockwise or counterclockwise, to indicate when the driver should turn. A group of 20 individual motors ring the wheel, making it more advanced than the limited points of a wheel for a PS3 or Xbox 360 gamer.
Along with keeping the driver from having to watch a screen or listen to a voice, the method was found to have improved overall attentiveness: younger drivers in and around their mid-twenties saw distraction drop 3.1 percent.
Interface group researcher Kevin Li has warned that it might take years for the technology to be in shipping cars. AT&T Labs was discussing the haptic technique with car designers, however, and expects it to be a reality. The primary challenges are issues such as different hand positions and making the signals sufficiently clear. Safety-focused brands like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz weren't named, but would be logical early adopters.
