Culture
'When It's Time to Make the Next Turn, the Left Side of Your Seat Will Buzz'
How "tactile displays" could help lead to less distracted driving and transform the way we navigate.
When it comes to processing information, our eyes do most of the work. Musicians use their ears, perfumists their noses, but by and large, we humans are reliant on our vision.
For most of us, most of the time, this is just fine. But in visually demanding situations, the added strain can be distracting. Hence the popularity of audio command systems in cars and on cellphones: the more info we can divert toward our ears, the better we can use our eyes. And yet while driving, there's plenty of stuff to hear, too: the policeman's whistle, the buzz of the radio, the kids in the back seat, the hum of the road.