Apple has filed a patent application for an innovative "Adaptive Non-Visual Navigation Guidance for Electronic Devices" designed to help users navigate without relying on visual aids. The system can be integrated with devices like iPhones, AirPods, and even wearable tech such as specialized haptic gloves or walking canes. When users input a destination, the system can guide them using non-visual cues like spatial audio and haptic feedback, allowing for hands-free navigation through malls, unfamiliar cityscapes, and more. Bikers, walkers, and visually impaired users can all benefit from subtle directional prompts in the form of beeps or vibrations.

Haptic Glove Navigation
The patent also describes a haptic feedback glove that vibrates to direct users along a route. Equipped with haptic components in each finger and across the palm, the glove vibrates in specific areas to indicate turning directions, creating an intuitive navigational aid. This technology could be adapted for other wearables, like a walking stick, enhancing accessibility for visually impaired users and adding a new dimension to hands-free navigation.

This system could eventually integrate with other XR interfaces, like heads-up displays, contact-lens-based displays, and other smart devices, paving the way for more immersive, accessible navigation tools across environments. The patent application, numbered 20240361128, was filed in October 2023 and made public today.