A handheld system to assist the visually impaired with wayfinding is described in this paper. The system is based on haptic feedback, using a handheld device that produces repetitive acceleration events in the direction being indicated.

The authors have extensively tested the device in a simulated (although small-scale and simple) urban environment. It was very successful in terms of user satisfaction and effectiveness, but still requires development in order to make it more convenient and fully automatic. This paper is especially interesting in terms of the extensive evaluation of the device, and this will be of particular interest to readers who may be involved in developing or specifying similar devices.