Quantification of Visual Attention by Using Eye-Tracking Technology for Soundscape Assessment Through Physiological...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Acoustics

Background:

• Soundscapes significantly impact human health and comfort, necessitating objective evaluation methods.
• Physiological responses are increasingly used to assess soundscape perception.
• Current methods often rely on subjective questionnaires, potentially missing nuanced perceptual data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel method for evaluating soundscape perception using eye-tracking technology to measure visual attention.
• To objectively assess how different soundscape elements are perceived through physiological responses.
• To enhance existing soundscape evaluation models with objective visual attention data.

Main Methods:

• Incorporated questionnaire surveys alongside physiological measurements focusing on visual attention.
• Utilized eye-tracking technology to quantify visual attention responses to soundscape elements.
• Developed a soundscape quality prediction model integrating visual attention data.

Main Results:

• Questionnaire data showed higher sensitivity to vehicle and sky perceptions (6% and 26%).
• Physiological responses indicated greater sensitivity to vegetation perception (3%–50%).
• Visual attention quantification enhanced restoration responses by 1–2% compared to questionnaire-based methods.

Conclusions:

• A novel methodology for quantifying visual attention was introduced as a supplementary tool for soundscape research.
• The proposed method offers a more nuanced interpretation of soundscape perception, potentially uncovering mechanisms missed by questionnaires.
• This approach provides valuable insights for future soundscape evaluation through objective physiological measurements.