# Audio Feedback with the Use of a Smartphone in Sailing Training among Windsurfers
## 4 Discussion  
The aim of this study was to assess of the usefulness of the augmented audio feedback provided in real-time with the use of a smartphone application. The current research generally noted positive opinions connected to the quality and effectiveness of the reception of virtual voice. In the studies of other authors, different forms and strategy of presented auditory cues were used for navigation purposes. For instance, [PERSON] at al. [PERSON] et al. (2017) proposed to  
Figure 4: Percentage distribution of positive, neutral, and negative answers connected to technical (**A**) and usefulness (**B**) aspects of app functions. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline  & **Juniors** & **Seniors** & & \\ \hline
**Question** & \(\mathbf{x}\pm\mathbf{SD}\) & \(\mathbf{x}\pm\mathbf{SD}\) & \(\mathbf{Z}\) & \(\boldsymbol{p}\) \\ \hline \(1\) & \(4.3\pm 1.21\) & \(4.1\pm 1.46\) & \(-0.25\) & \(0.806\) \\ \(2\) & \(2.8\pm 0.98\) & \(2.9\pm 1.46\) & \(0.00\) & \(1.000\) \\ \(3\) & \(4.3\pm 1.21\) & \(3.1\pm 1.57\) & \(-1.36\) & \(0.173\) \\ \(4\) & \(3.7\pm 1.03\) & \(3.7\pm 0.76\) & \(0.00\) & \(1.000\) \\ \(5\) & \(2.8\pm 1.47\) & \(2.3\pm 1.25\) & \(-0.70\) & \(0.483\) \\ \(6\) & \(3.7\pm 1.03\) & \(2.4\pm 0.79\) & \(-1.99\) & \(0.047\) \\ \(7\) & \(3.5\pm 0.84\) & \(2.3\pm 1.25\) & \(-2.24\) & \(0.025\) \\ \(8\) & \(3.2\pm 1.47\) & \(2.3\pm 0.95\) & \(-1.11\) & \(0.266\) \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Average values and standard deviations for questions \(1\) to \(8\), in junior and senior group and the analysis of differences (Mann–Whitney’s test) between groups. use tones, emanated from the left or right channel of headphones to indicate walking direction among pedestrians. They proposed to use silence to indicate travelling in the right direction; this would be minimally distracting since the user is doing the right thing. This strategy was used in the current study; there were no speech messages in case of optimal course of the windsurfer. Silence caused by the loss of GNSS signal can be problematic here. However, the analysis of the raw data did not demonstrate a lack of signal, which may be due to the advantage of conducting the research in open-water conditions. In another study, as an additional option besides listening to speech, participants followed routes by keeping track of the volume and perceived direction of the music source [18]. Recently, navigation was also supported by audio beacons (continuously playing spatial audio) and verbal directions [14]. While speech seems an obvious solution to navigation, [PERSON] et al. [19] reported that speech sounds (\"This way\", \"Steer here\") were less preferred for navigation than non-speech beacons (e.g., bell sound, sonar blip). In the current project, it was noticed that in demanding on-water sailing conditions, a virtual voice could be more comprehensible than other auditory cues [13]. Based on the results, it can be indicated that speech messages were assessed by most participants as audible enough and easy to focus on (Figure 4A). Moreover, a virtual voice can potentially provide more information, not only limited to these commonly known cues, as used in traditional turn-by-turn navigation. This passive form of navigation, customarily used in car navigation systems, does not support spatial awareness and can cause decline in spatial memory [20]. The spoken deviation angle value in degrees audibly provided to sailors in real time does not prejudge the need for course corrections or tack change. The application presents additional information to the competitor, based on which he or she can make his or her own decision, considering, for example, the positions of other competitors or squalls. However, although most respondents (77%) agreed with the reliability of the reflection of the windsurfing board's course deviation, in the opinion of a large group of athletes (69%), the application did not enhance orientation towards the tack section (QS).