Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures

Summary

Virtual reality (VR) experiments can be difficult to implement and require meticulous planning. This protocol describes a method for the design and implementation of VR experiments that collect physiological data from human participants. The Experiments in Virtual Environments (EVE) framework is employed to accelerate this process.

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) experiments are increasingly employed because of their internal and external validity compared to real-world observation and laboratory experiments, respectively. VR is especially useful for geographic visualizations and investigations of spatial behavior. In spatial behavior research, VR provides a platform for studying the relationship between navigation and physiological measures (e.g., skin conductance, heart rate, blood pressure). Specifically, physiological measures allow researchers to address novel questions and constrain previous theories of spatial abilities, strategies, and performance. For example, individual differences in navigation performance may be explained by the extent to which changes in arousal mediate the effects of task difficulty. However, the complexities in the design and implementation of VR experiments can distract experimenters from their primary research goals and introduce irregularities in data collection and analysis. To address these challenges, the Experiments in Virtual Environments (EVE) framework includes standardized modules such as participant training with the control interface, data collection using questionnaires, the synchronization of physiological measurements, and data storage. EVE also provides the necessary infrastructure for data management, visualization, and evaluation. The present paper describes a protocol that employs the EVE framework to conduct navigation experiments in VR with physiological sensors. The protocol lists the steps necessary for recruiting participants, attaching the physiological sensors, administering the experiment using EVE, and assessing the collected data with EVE evaluation tools. Overall, this protocol will facilitate future research by streamlining the design and implementation of VR experiments with physiological sensors.

Introduction

Understanding how individuals navigate has important implications for several fields, including cognitive science^1,2,3, neuroscience^4,5, and computer science^6,7. Navigation has been investigated in both real and virtual environments. One advantage of real-world experiments is that navigation does not require the mediation of a control interface and thus may produce more realistic spatial behavior. In contrast, virtual reality (VR) experiments allow for more pr....

Protocol

The following protocol was conducted in accordance with guidelines approved by the Ethics Commission of ETH Zürich as part of the proposal EK 2013-N-73.

1. Recruit and Prepare Participants

1. Select participants with particular demographics (e.g., age, gender, educational background) using a participant recruitment system or mailing list (e.g., UAST; http://www.uast.uzh.ch/).
2. Contact selected participants by e-mail. In this e-mail, remind the participa.......

Discussion

In the present paper, we described a protocol for conducting experiments in VR with physiological devices using the EVE framework. These types of experiments are unique because of additional hardware considerations (e.g., physiological devices and other peripherals), the preparatory steps for collecting physiological data using VR, and data management requirements. The present protocol provides the necessary steps for experimenters that intend to collect data from multiple peripherals simultaneously. For example.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Alienware Area 51 Base	Dell	210-ADHC	Computation
138cm 4K Ultra-HD LED-TV	Samsung	UE55JU6470U	Display
SureSigns VS2+	Philips Healthcare	863278	Blood Pressure
PowerLab 8/35	AD Instruments	PL3508	Skin Conductance
PowerLab 26T (LTS)	AD Instruments	ML4856	Heart Rate
Extreme 3D Pro Joystick	Logitech	963290-0403	HID