**5. Discussion**

their unique needs. Manufacturers have created custom boards and components for haptic applications [61]. However, this development technique still has a technical barrier to entry. Crowdsourcing design is a promising method to overcome this barrier. Adjustable templates and modular components can enable the democratization of design, so individual solutions can be generated as iterations off of the original. These design features need to be intentional

Tactile user interfaces incorporate all of the above discussed qualities in haptic interface design. Tangible objects in which the physical configuration of the components intuitively map to the function of the object. They have high Affordance in their design simply because the physical and mechanistic nature of the object allow for limited options and limited interpretations of those options. We encounter tangible, tactile user interfaces everywhere (i.e., flipping a wall button to turn on the lights). The physical sensation of flipping a switch gives

We commonly associate these tactile UIs with physical objects, with physical consequences and haptic feedback associated with their purpose. Even input devices with digital outputs like keyboards and mouse utilize haptic actuation to provide immediate feedback on the user's action. UI/UX design guidelines encourage GUI counterparts to reproduce haptic feedback. For example the vibrotactile feedback on the smartphone reproduces the sensation of a button press to provide confirmation that the input is received. However, as touch displays are now dominant due to their versatility, they also inherited the windows, icons, menus, and pointing device model. This approach leaves few options for haptic feedback to supplement the interaction, evident by the "Accessibility Modes" touch displays offer the blind. Voiceovers associated with point inputs force users with disabilities to adapt to the UI schema of

We are excited to see the dominance of the WIMP interaction model being challenged by novel UI devices. Designs of input systems specifically tailored to the context of the activity, in which the haptic feedback is an inherent quality of the interface rather than an accessory added after the fact. Colleague Viraj Joshi's collection of tactile user interface (TUI) designs showcase novel and intuitive input devices. Joshi's Beethoven TUI incorporates telescopic, rotational, and push-select motion into one device for navigating through tiers of data (**Figure 1**). Each degree of freedom maps intuitively to an axis of navigation through the breadth of dataset, whereas the conventional UI forces the user to interpret graphic layout to

We hope that the inclusion of TUI design exemplifies the intuitive benefits of haptic design, as well as the misconception that haptic feedback must be a transmutation of digital data. The

haptic output can literally be a physical characteristic of the device itself.

and customization perceivable by the users as intended by its creator.

**4. Tactile user interfaces**

60 Assistive Technologies in Smart Cities

a first level of confirmation.

our graphic conventions.

access tiered information.

We argue that haptic interfaces when designed right have a significant advantage for the elderly, for whom visual and auditory processing can be overwhelming. Haptic interfaces have been applied in a wide range of contexts. Everyone with a smartphone has familiarity with it. As a result, the general understanding of its potential is shaped by the vibrotactile actuator in our smart devices. The development in other industries, notably the video-game industry, of multi-modal devices will steadily introduce the general public to novel haptic experiences. Complementary to the proliferation of virtual reality, haptic technology will enhance the activities VR already allow. However, the trend in Internet-of-Things and smart devices on the market show a lowered consideration for fail-safes in recent years. Cybersecurity breaches are rampant in smart devices. For products that help the disabled and elderly perform and survive, malfunctions or failures, intended or otherwise, can put the user in physical danger.

Assistive technology for the elderly conjures up expectations of advanced robotic automation solutions to help perform functions of a human. In reality, our interviews show that this is not necessary. Technological interventions for the elderly do not actually need to tackle complicated tasks. We spoke with elderly PACE patients and their caretakers, revealing that the most commonly requested help is interpreting information. Bills, medicine descriptions, product setups instructions, and the like, all of which are performed through video/audio calls. House-calls are scheduled and emergencies rare. One caretaker we spoke to notes that calls from patients stems partly from loneliness. Another caretaker remarks that most of the instructional interactions with patients are reminders and repeats of previously given instructions. Due to diminished cognitive function, patients routinely forget portions of how to perform a task and seek repeated guidance. In other cases, pride and desire to be independent often keeps patients from seeking help when necessary. In one instance, a female patient fell in her home but refused to activate her emergency alert device until hours later, when her own efforts were proven to be ineffective. These varying degrees of needs and different preferences make designing for the elderly difficult. But we need not complicated solutions. Instead, we need customizable tools and interfaces for each unique situation.

monitoring this design space and categorizing the emergent features to ideally create a tax-

Creative Haptic Interface Design for the Aging Population

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78991

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onomy and design toolkit for haptic interfaces.

Address all correspondence to: heng.gu@network.rca.ac.uk

Ar+eliers Studio, Imperial College London, United States

www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs381/en/

612575/japan-population-age-group/

**Author details**

Eric Heng Gu

**References**

tists-listen-to-data/

tce.2017.014980
