TactileWalk: Dynamic Electrotactile Patterns for Fingertip-Based Interaction During Walking

TactileWalk evaluates dynamic electrotactile patterns on fingertips for wearable navigation. We developed a fingertip stimulation prototype featuring a 10 × 6 electrode grid driven by an ESP32 microcontroller and high-voltage drivers to enable rapid, independent electrode activation for spatiotemporal pattern rendering. This research compares three dynamic patterns: Single Line, Double Line, and Box—across eight directions presented on the tactile display at the fingertip. Study 1 (stationary) revealed that simple linear patterns were recognized significantly more accurately than complex shapes. Study 2 (walking) confirmed these cues remain robust under movement, where the Double Line pattern yielded the highest accuracy (90.83%). Participants consistently preferred the "reinforcing" Double Line and found vertical motion more intuitive while walking. We propose design implications for mobile haptics, advocating for simple, spatially redundant patterns to minimize cognitive load during eyes-free navigation.