Multimodal Information Management: Evaluation of Auditory and Haptic Cues for NextGen Communication Displays

Auditory communication displays within the NextGen data link system may use synthetic speech messages to replace voice communications. An interface design for selecting among multiple incoming messages can impact both user performance and preference. Two design factors were evaluated: physical pressure-sensitive switches versus flat panel "virtual switches," and auditory feedback from switch contact. Performance with stimuli using physical switches was 1.2 s faster than virtual switches (2.0 s vs. 3.2 s); auditory feedback provided a 0.6 s performance advantage (2.3 s vs. 2.9 s). There was no interaction between these variables. Preference data were highly correlated with performance.