Evaluating the Effect of Reinforcement Haptics on Motor Learning and Cognitive Workload in Driver Training

Haptic technologies have the capacity to enhance motor learning, potentially improving the safety and quality of operating performance in a variety of applications, yet there is limited research evaluating implementation of these devices in driver training environments. A driving simulator and training scenario were developed to assess the quality of motor learning produced with wrist-attached vibrotactile haptic motors for additional reinforcement feedback. User studies were conducted with 36 participants split into 2 groups based on feedback modality. Throughout the simulation vehicle interactions with the course were recorded, enabling comparisons of pre and post-training performance between the groups to evaluate short-term retention of the steering motor skill. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for vehicle position safety violations (U = 78.50, P = 0.008) where the visual-haptic group improved significantly more than the visual group. The Raw NASA-TLX (RTLX) was completed by participants to examine the cognitive effect of the additional modality, where the visual-haptic group reported greater levels of workload (U = 90.50, P = 0.039). In conclusion, reinforcement vibrotactile haptics can enhance short-term retention of motor learning with a positive effect on the safety and quality of post-training behaviour, which is likely a result of increased demand and stimulation encouraging the adaptation of sensorimotor transformations.