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Analysis of physiological response to two virtual environments: driving and flying simulation
Dong P Jang1, In Y Kim, Sang W Nam
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Summary
Physiological monitoring, including skin resistance and heart rate variability, can objectively measure arousal in non-phobic participants experiencing virtual reality environments like driving and flying.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Virtual reality (VR) is gaining traction in clinical psychology, particularly for phobia treatment.
- Objective physiological monitoring is crucial for understanding participant responses in VR studies.
- Limited research exists on normal physiological reactions to diverse virtual environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze non-phobic participants' physiological responses to virtual driving and flying environments.
- To assess the utility of physiological measures for monitoring VR engagement.
- To investigate the relationship between VR exposure and arousal levels.
Main Methods:
- Eleven non-phobic participants underwent 15-minute exposures to virtual driving and flying.
- Physiological data collected included heart rate, skin resistance, and skin temperature.
- Presence and Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores were recorded post-exposure.
Main Results:
- Skin resistance and heart rate variability effectively indicated participant arousal during VR experiences.
- Physiological measures generally returned to baseline levels after VR exposure.
- Heart rate variability showed potential for assessing emotional states within VR.
Conclusions:
- Skin resistance and heart rate serve as objective indicators for monitoring non-phobic participant reactions in VR.
- Physiological monitoring provides valuable data for VR research in psychology.
- Heart rate variability may be a key metric for emotional state assessment in virtual environments.