Assessing restorative effects of soundscapes in VR through EEG and HRV

Abstract

This study aimed to extend the application of soundscape analysis by utilizing electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis as a physiological evaluation tool to determine the actual restorative impact on individual environmental perceptions and psycho-physiological responses stemming from various soundscape experiences. Initially, we constructed three distinct virtual reality (VR) environments: waterfront, urban, and green areas, each accompanied by three content variations. A total of 60 subjects participated in the study. Data were gathered through a survey assessing individual characteristics, psychological restorative responses, and soundscape perceptions. Additionally, quantitative physiological responses such as heart rate variability (HRV) and EEG, were measured. Subsequently, subjects were categorized into restoration and non-restoration groups based on HRV responses using cluster analysis. The analysis revealed positive HRV changes indicative of reduced stress levels. In EEG analysis, differences were observed in network connectivity rather than power spectral density. As a result of connectivity analysis, global efficiency increased overall in the restoration group, and differences in nodal efficiency occurred in a total of eight brain regions, enabling soundscape experience to efficiently process cognitive functions in the cerebrum, thereby having a positive effect on neural communication. This study is significant as it represents the first examination of soundscape restorative responses in terms of brain wave connectivity, underscoring the feasibility of employing physiological evaluations, including brain wave analysis, in the study of soundscapes.