Overview
In the Transport and Mobility course (4WBB0) at TU Eindhoven, our team of 6 designed NaviGrips — a haptic navigation system for cyclists that uses vibrating handlebar grips to provide turn-by-turn directions. The motivation: visual navigation (phone mounts) and audio navigation (earbuds) both compromise cyclist safety by diverting attention from the road.
The Problem
Navigation while cycling presents a safety dilemma:
- Phone on handlebar mount: Eyes leave the road to read directions
- Earbuds with voice navigation: Reduces awareness of traffic sounds
- Memorizing routes beforehand: Impractical for unfamiliar areas
Haptic feedback through the handlebars offers a third modality — tactile navigation — that requires no visual or auditory attention.
Design
Concept
NaviGrips replaces standard handlebar grips with grips containing embedded vibration motors. The system connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth:
- Left grip vibrates → turn left ahead
- Right grip vibrates → turn right ahead
- Both grips vibrate → arrival or recalculation
- Vibration intensity increases as the turn approaches
Hardware
The prototype consists of:
- Vibration motors embedded in silicone grip housings
- Microcontroller (Arduino-based) for motor control
- Bluetooth module for smartphone communication
- Battery pack mounted under the seat
Inclusive Design
We designed for accessibility from the start — haptic navigation benefits not only general cyclists but also visually impaired users and those who cannot safely use audio navigation in noisy urban environments.
Development Process
The project followed a structured design methodology:
- Functional design — Requirements and use case analysis
- Concept evaluation — Weighted criteria matrix comparing 4 concepts
- Technical specification — Component selection, vibration patterns, timing
- Detailing and CAD — Grip geometry, motor placement, wiring routing
- Realization — Physical prototype assembly
- User testing — Route-following tests with participants
What I Learned
NaviGrips taught me that engineering is as much about understanding users as understanding physics. The vibration pattern design required iterative user testing — what felt intuitive to us as designers wasn't always intuitive to test participants. Adjusting the timing (how far before a turn to start vibrating) and intensity curves based on feedback was a surprisingly nuanced design challenge.
Technologies Used
Arduino, vibration motors, Bluetooth, CAD, 3D printing, silicone molding, user testing, Google Maps API (route data)