Thermal comfort and virtual reality headsets.

Area of Science:

• Human-computer interaction
• Thermal comfort research
• Virtual reality technology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) systems are increasingly popular for entertainment and professional applications.
• Prolonged use of VR headsets can lead to thermal discomfort due to heat buildup.
• Understanding the thermal properties of VR headsets is crucial for improving user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the thermal properties of five VR headsets.
• To assess the subjective thermal discomfort experienced by users.
• To establish the relationship between thermal properties and user-reported discomfort.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-seven university students participated in the study.
• Each of the five VR headsets was used for 45-minute sessions.
• Microclimate temperature and relative humidity were measured using dataloggers.
• Infrared thermography captured temperature distribution on facial contact points.
• Participants provided subjective ratings of thermal discomfort.

Main Results:

• VR headset use increased average microclimate temperature by 7.8°C and relative humidity by 3.5%.
• Subjective thermal discomfort correlated positively with usage duration, microclimate temperature, humidity, and display coverage.
• Microclimate temperature was identified as the most significant factor influencing thermal discomfort.
• A negative correlation was found between thermal discomfort and the total coverage area of the headset.

Conclusions:

• Thermal discomfort in VR headset users is significantly influenced by microclimate temperature and usage duration.
• Objective thermal measurements and subjective evaluations can be combined to rank VR headset performance.
• Findings provide insights for designing more comfortable VR headsets, focusing on thermal management and display coverage.