Tactile cueing can be applied across a broad range of applications, but is especially useful in situations where conventional audible and visual displays are limited. For example, high noise, low light and degraded visual environments, and situations where the user is under high stress and workload.
Tactile cueing system using ATAC™ components have been applied to such diverse applications as:
- Navigation and communication between mounted and dismounted soldiers.
- Marine navigation for vessels and divers.
- Feedback to enhance control of complex industrial and medical tasks.
- Biofeedback and prosthetics.
- Situational awareness in aviation.
Many military programs now recognize the use of tactile cueing for situational awareness, communication and navigation aids.
ATAC™ TSAS: TACTILE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SYSTEM
The Tactile Situational Awareness System (TSAS) uses the sensory channel of touch to provide enhanced situational awareness information to pilots. The TSAS system accepts data from various aircraft sensors and presents this information via tactile cueing through an array of vibrotactile stimulators or “tactors” worn by the pilot or aircrew. By arranging the tactors in an intuitive nature around the body (“body referenced”), flight parameters such as attitude, altitude and velocity, as well as navigational and threat warnings can be provided via the sense of feel to the pilot.
For more details of EAI’s turn-key TSAS solution
ATAC™ TacCom
Tactile displays offer a relatively untapped channel for dismounted warfighter navigation, and can be an effective communication modality even under situations where the conventional communication channels such as visual, audio and even vestibular become disorientated. ATAC TacCom enables multisensory navigation and communication among dismounted soldiers. The system allows soldiers to quickly navigate to or away from specified waypoints or areas, while maintaining radio silence.
Sensory Kinetics
Sensory Kinetics (spin-off from Engineering Acoustics, Inc.), is developing vibrotactile guided rehabilitation and new assessment tools that can be used to assist in the rehabilitation of subjects with balance deficits and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
