Hao Chen MSc Dissertation 2015/16

Effects of mobile device on our abilities

Supervised by A.Sharkey

Abstract

Nowadays, people use many different navigational tools in their daily life, include digital map and navigation system. However, overuse the navigation aids would affect human ability. This research would study the previous work about this area. Then compare the three different navigational tools, digital map, navigation system and paper map. Then using an experiment to find the effect of navigational tools in human ability. Finally, a conclusion is that the advantages of GPS system are clear, but the disadvantages of them, and specifically their seemingly negative effects on the development of a mental map, suggests they may not develop human wayfinding  ability.