Development of "City of the Futureʺ Scene to Assess the User Experience in a Virtual Reality environment

Abstract

Virtual reality is rapidly becoming a key method in digital medicine. It is a prospective area of research. The detailed examination of users and its impact on patients is required to introduce virtual reality in medicine. A detailed examination of virtual reality users, followed by an assessment of virtual reality effects, is required for wide adaptation of this technology. The virtual reality of 12 healthy subjects was examined. For this study, we used the custom-designed VR scene “City of the Future”. An HTC Vive Pro headset was used for VR immersion. A physical examination and neurological examination were performed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Visual analog scale, and Simulator Sickness Questionnaire. All subjects were divided into two groups based on the SSQ score. Group 1, with no or slight side effects, accounted for 58.3%. Group 2 included 41.7% participants with mild to moderate simulator disorder. The strain and trait anxiety level based on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Group 2 with VR-related side effects was higher than in Group 1, which had no simulator sickness. We suppose that VR experience can have positive or negative user feedback or cause simulator sickness based on psychoemotional factors such as anxiety. Dynamic monitoring and the development of an adaptive system for users in the virtual reality environment, which will monitor the dynamic individual characteristics of the person, are needed. This will improve the adaptation mechanisms and lead to a positive virtual experience.