ABSTRACT
A current goal of the US Army’s Land Warrior System is reliable communication of the presence and location of threats. To obtain the greatest benefit from such a system, it should be omnipresent, covert, and it should be usable in a variety of combat scenarios. The authors compared the relative benefits of 3-dimensional audio and wearable tactile display systems in meeting these demands. Based upon the literature, the authors have concluded that although 3-dimensional audio cueing might provide slightly better spatial resolution in one dimension, a tactile-based solution is ultimately of greater utility in all dimensions. Benefits of a tactile-based system include greater overall accuracy in directional cueing, less competition for cognitive-perceptual resources, and virtually silent operation.
