Gear VR Research Articles

Effects of immersive and non- immersive virtual reality on anxiety and cognition in Parkinson's disease: A comparative study

IntroductionParkinson's disease (PD) is chronic and progressive, manifested by both motor and non-motor symptoms, such as anxiety. Anxiety occurs in more than 50% of patients. Rehabilitation in PD is more focused on controlling motor symptoms. However, non-motor symptoms affect independence, functionality, and motivation. PurposeThe present study aimed to compare the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) and non-immersive virtual reality (NIVR) training on anxiety and cognition in PD patients. MethodsTwo VR devices were used: Nintendo Wii (NIVR) and Samsung Gear VR (IVR). A convenience sample of 60 participants was distributed into 3 groups: a no intervention control group (CG) and two training groups (IVR and NIVR). All were evaluated at the baseline (T1), 7 days after (T7), and 30 days after training (T30). The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Semantic Verbal Fluency test (VF), and Digits subtest in reverse order (DR) were evaluated. The intervention protocol consisted of 10 sessions, each lasting 1 h, twice a week, for 5 weeks. According to the motor and cognitive requirements of games, 4 games were selected for each VR system. The Friedman test was used for comparing groups at different times (P ≤ 0.05). ResultsThe findings revealed a significant decrease in the BAI score in the IVR group (F = 15 217; p < 0.001) between T1 and T7 (and between T1 and T30. No significant differences were found between T7 and T30. No significant differences were found for the cognition variables. ConclusionIVR is a useful and feasible tool for managing anxiety symptoms in patients with PD.

Examination of Accurate Exocentric Distance Estimates in a Virtual Environment Using a Desktop Display and the Gear VR

Examination of Accurate Exocentric Distance Estimates in a Virtual Environment Using a Desktop Display and the Gear VR

The Role of Personalization in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy During the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder

IntroductionIn Cue-Exposure-Therapy (CET), clients are exposed to triggers through objects, people and environments that arouse craving (Sinha et al. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2009;34 1198–1208). Virtual Reality Exposure therapy (VRET) is used to experience these triggers in a realistic, safe, and personalized way. VR has been used successfully in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It has not yet been developed and sufficiently tested as an adjuvant in the clinical post-detoxification phase of treatment of alcohol use disorders (AUD) (e.g. Bordnick et al. Addict.Behav 2008;33 743-756; Hone-Blanchet et al. Front.Hum.Neurosci. 2014; 8(844) 1-15). Additionally, these treatment methods have been tested for effect, but not for effectiveness around different VR technologies (Ghita &amp; Gutierrez-Maldonado. Addict.Behav 2018; 81 1-11; ). This study focuses on VRET-Recovry to examine to what extent VR worlds could be personalized in an effective manner to help treat AUD as well as clarifying on the ways in which the VR worlds could be optimized to achieve its goal.ObjectivesThe primary objectives of this study are to assess the necessity of personalization in VR environments for AUD treatment, identify the critical elements for personalization, and examine their impact on craving in AUD patients.MethodsThe study included 10 AUD patients diagnosed according to DSM-V criteria, aged between 18 and 65, who were in the final week of clinical detoxification at a large addiction clinic in The Netherlands. A controlled experiment was conducted using the Recovry 1.0 VR system on Samsung Gear VR and Samsung Galaxy S9. The experiment involved exposure to various VR scenes (CG and 360o), including a neutral setting, a bar scene, and a home situation, with the duration and sequence controlled by a therapist. Data collection consisted of pre- and post-exposure questionnaires, heart rate and blood pressure measurements, and interviews.ResultsCraving was remarkably low in the VR bar scene, primarily due to its unsociable context, limited alcohol visibility, and absence of peer pressure. Technical limitations, such as suboptimal resolution, also affected the feeling of presence. Positive results were shown that craving was predominantly stimulated in the apartment scene, driven by the presence of alcohol-related visual cues and social elements, resembling relaxed drinking with others.ConclusionsThis study underscores that some degree of personalization is needed on all craving dimensions with clear preference was given to CG or 360°. The environments were dependent on the personal history and associations they represent to different levels of alcohol visibility (messy or clean), and types of drink (based on past drinking behavior), and different emotional contexts are needed (positive and negative).Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Analyzing Accurate Egocentric Distance Estimates of University Students in Virtual Environments with a Desktop Display and Gear VR Display

The perception of distances is crucial in both the real world and virtual environments. However, distances can be incorrectly estimated in the latter one, and they can be affected by technological and human factors. We created a virtual environment to take a step toward understanding this phenomenon. We assessed the egocentric distance estimation skills of 239 university students at 10 various distances between 25 cm and 160 cm at 15 cm intervals. A desktop display was used by 157 students, while the Gear VR display was used by 72 students. The effects of the following factors were analyzed: gender, height, dominant arm, previous VR experience, gaming hours per week, whether the participants wore glasses, their field of study, and display device. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess their influences on the probabilities of accurate distance estimates, while linear regression analysis was conducted to examine their effects on estimation times. The results show that except for the factors of whether the participants wore glasses and their field of study, the probabilities of accurate distance estimates can be affected along with estimation times themselves.

Examining the Results of Virtual Reality-Based Egocentric Distance Estimation Tests Based on Immersion Level

Depth perception as well as egocentric distance estimation can be trained in virtual spaces, although incorrect estimates can occur in these environments. To understand this phenomenon, a virtual environment with 11 changeable factors was created. Egocentric distance estimation skills of 239 participants were assessed with it in the range [25 cm, 160 cm]. One hundred fifty-seven people used a desktop display and seventy-two the Gear VR. According to the results, these investigated factors can have various effects combined with the two display devices on distance estimation and its time. Overall, desktop display users are more likely to accurately estimate or overestimate distances, and significant overestimations occur at 130 and 160 cm. With the Gear VR, distances in the range [40 cm, 130 cm] are significantly underestimated, while at 25 cm, they are significantly overestimated. Estimation times are significantly decreased with the Gear VR. When developing future virtual environments that require depth perception skills, developers should take these results into account.

A Prototype of a Stereoacuity Test Using a Head-Mounted Display

Purpose: To evaluate the test-retest reliability of a contour-based stereoacuity test using a head-mounted display (HMD) and compare it with other stereotests.Methods: Thirty-two healthy adults aged 23-47 years were recruited from a tertiary hospital between August 2017 and July 2018. Two separate contour-based circles (crossed disparity: 135-1,350 arcsecs) were generated on a high-resolution phone display (Galaxy S7; Samsung, Seoul, Korea) using an HMD (Galaxy Gear VR). Two images were independently projected to each eye as graded circles with a random dot background. The results of the new HMD stereotest were compared to those of the standard Randot and TNO stereotests. The test-retest reliability was assessed using the Bland-Altman plot and Cohen’s kappa statistics.Results: Among the 32 study participants, 17 (53%) were males and the mean age was 30.1 ± 4.8 years (range: 23-47). The mean stereoacuity was 160.3 ± 53.5 arcsecs in the first HMD stereotest (HMD1), 28.4 ± 12.5 arcsecs in the Randot stereotest, 96.1 ± 83.5 arcsecs in the TNO stereotest, and 143.3 ± 47.7 arcsecs in the second HMD stereotest (HMD2). The Bland-Altman plot showed a mean difference of 0.042 (-0.189 to +0.272, 95% limits of agreement) between HMD1 and HMD2. The reliability analysis showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.499 (p = 0.022) and agreement of 81.25% in Cohen’s kappa statistics (Cohen’s kappa index = 0.119, p = 0.017).Conclusions: The HMD stereotest without monocular cues showed fair test-retest reliability and reproducibility. Further studies using a high resolution display are needed to confirm the validity of the HMD stereotest.

The Effects of Display Parameters and Devices on Spatial Ability Test Times

The effects of display parameters and devices are examined on spatial ability test times in virtual environments. Before the investigation, completion times of 240 and 61 students were measured, using an LG desktop display and the Gear VR, respectively. The virtual environment also logged the following randomized display parameters: virtual camera type, field of view, rotation, contrast ratio, whether shadows are turned on, and the used display device. The completion times were analyzed using regression analysis methods. Except for the virtual camera type, every factor has a significant influence on the test completion times. After grouping the remaining factors into pairs, triplets, quartets, and quintets, the following can be concluded: the combination of 75° field of view, 45° camera rotation, and 3:1 contrast ratio has the largest increase in completion times with an estimate of 420.88 s—even when this combination is in-side a quartet or a quintet. Consequently, significant decreases in completion times exist up to variable quartets (the largest being −106.29 s on average), however, the significance disappears among variable quintets. The occurrences of factors were also investigated: an undefined field of view, a 0° camera rotation, the Gear VR, a 7:1 contrast ratio, and turned-on shadows are the factors that occur in most significant combinations. These are the factors that often and significantly influence completion times.

Implementation of the Heinrich Spatial Visualization Test in a Virtual Environment

A virtual environment was developed for PC and Android to be used with a desktop display and the Gear VR, respectively. The goal with it is to measure and enhance the spatial skills of people, because the latter can be achieved by solving simple geometric problems. Originally, this virtual environment consisted only of three such tests, namely the Mental Rotation Test, Mental Cutting Test and Purdue Spatial Visualization Test. Measurements were done in the past with these tests, but now the Heinrich Spatial Visualization Test is also included in the virtual environment. In this paper, its implementation and future measurement plan are presented.

Virtual look around: comparing presence, cybersickness and usability for virtual tours across different devices

Virtual Reality has become readily available in the last few years through different devices, from desktop computers to head­-mounted displays (HMD). Also, virtual tours became popular with 360º panoramic photographs and video clips on online social media, so people could visit remote locations without being exposed to crowded transportation or long travels. Also, virtual tours demonstrate considerable potential as a form of escapism and even for remote teaching. Since we lack studies that evaluate the User Experience (UX) in virtual tours on different devices, this article aims to compare aspects of the User Experience (regarding sense of presence, cybersickness, and usability) in a virtual tour website developed in WebXR across different devices. To achieve our objective, we developed a virtual tour based on 360º pictures using WebXR API and React 360 framework and conducted an experiment with 41 undergraduate students using four different devices: a laptop computer, a smartphone, a Google Cardboard headset, and a Samsung Gear VR HMD. We evaluated users’ perceptions by adapting and translating the Suitability Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) and users’ performance by measuring the time to fulfill a set of tasks. The main findings from this study include that (i) the overall self-­reported experience using Google Cardboard is worse than using other devices, (ii) the users’ performance is quite similar between the platforms, (iii) there is evidence of unexpected cybersickness symptoms in tests with the smartphone, and (iv) the development of a plausible hypothesis concerning low usability having an effect upon the sense of presence. Additional contributions of our research are the adaptation, translation into Portuguese, psychometric analysis, and revised scoring procedures of the SEQ.

Evaluation of photography using head-mounted display technology (ICAPS) for district Trachoma surveys.

BackgroundAs the prevalence of trachoma declines worldwide, it is becoming increasingly expensive and challenging to standardize graders in the field for surveys to document elimination. Photography of the tarsal conjunctiva and remote interpretation may help alleviate these challenges. The purpose of this study was to develop, and field test an Image Capture and Processing System (ICAPS) to acquire hands-free images of the tarsal conjunctiva for upload to a virtual reading center for remote grading.Methodology/Principal findingsThis observational study was conducted during a district-level prevalence survey for trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) in Chamwino, Tanzania. The ICAPS was developed using a Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone, a Samsung Gear VR headset, a foot pedal trigger and customized software allowing for hands-free photography. After a one-day training course, three trachoma graders used the ICAPS to collect images from 1305 children ages 1–9 years, which were expert-graded remotely for comparison with field grades. In our experience, the ICAPS was successful at scanning and assigning barcodes to images, focusing on the everted eyelid with adequate examiner hand visualization, and capturing images with sufficient detail to grade TF. The percentage of children with TF by photos and by field grade was 5%. Agreement between grading of the images compared to the field grades at the child level was kappa = 0.53 (95%CI = 0.40–0.66). There were ungradable images for at least one eye in 199 children (9.1%), with more occurring in children ages 1–3 (18.5%) than older children ages 4–9 (4.2%) (χ2 = 145.3, p<0.001).Conclusions/SignificanceThe prototype ICAPS device was robust, able to image 1305 children in a district level survey and transmit images from rural Tanzania to an online grading platform. More work is needed to improve the percentage of ungradable images and to better understand the causes of disagreement between field and photo grading.

Natural interfaces in VR - comparative analysis

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of contemporary virtual reality devices. The analysis focuses on both the analysis of technical parameters of the goggles as well as comparison of natural interfaces. The following devices were tested: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR. The most ergonomic and user-friendly interface turned out to be Oculus Rift, while goggles Samsung Gear VR were the worst from tested devices.

Investigation of spatial ability test completion times in virtual reality using a desktop display and the Gear VR

The interaction time of students who did spatial ability tests in a virtual reality environment is analyzed. The spatial ability test completion times of 240 and 61 students were measured. A desktop display as well as the Gear VR were used by the former group and by the latter one, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the probability of correct answers and completion times, while linear regression was used to evaluate effects and interactions of following factors on test completion times: the users’ gender and primary hand, test type and device used. The findings were that while the completion times are not significantly affected by the users’ primary hand, other factors have significant effects on them: they are decreased by the male gender in itself, while they are increased by solving Mental Rotation Tests or by using the Gear VR. The largest significant increment in interaction time in virtual reality during spatial ability tests is when Mental Rotation Tests are accomplished by males with the Gear VR, while the largest significant decrease in interaction time is when Mental Cutting Tests are completed with a desktop display.

Virtual reality can reduce anxiety during office-based great saphenous vein radiofrequency ablation

ObjectiveOffice-based treatment of venous pathology is common and frequently involves the use of anxiolytic medication to reduce anxiety. Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to effectively reduce pain and anxiety in a variety of settings. The objective of the present study was to determine whether VR could be smoothly integrated into office-based vascular procedures and to ascertain whether VR could reduce procedural pain or anxiety. MethodsA total of 40 patients undergoing an office-based endovenous radiofrequency ablation were included in the present study. Of the 40 patients, 20 were randomized to the VR group and 20 to the control group. The patients in the VR group were equipped with a Samsung GearVR headset and headphones (Samsung, Suwon, South Korea) running AppliedVR software (AppliedVR Inc, Los Angeles, Calif), which ran throughout the duration of the procedure. All 40 patients underwent unilateral great saphenous vein radiofrequency ablation. After the procedure, the patients were surveyed regarding their preprocedure anxiety and their pain and anxiety during the procedure using the Wong-Baker scale. ResultsAll procedures were successfully completed, and all patients were generally satisfied with their treatment. The average procedure time was not significantly different. No statistically significant differences were present in preprocedure anxiety or procedural pain between the two groups. The anxiety level during the procedure, however, was 4.09 of 10 in the control group vs 2.95 of 10 in the VR group, statistically significant difference using a paired t test. Furthermore, the anxiety level for the control group had increased during the procedure but that of the VR group had decreased. Finally, 85% of the patients in the VR group would recommend using VR to someone undergoing a similar procedure. ConclusionsVR can be safely and efficiently integrated into office-based vascular procedures. VR was generally well liked and recommended by those who used it. Most importantly, our findings suggest that VR can decrease procedural anxiety. Further research should examine whether this might obviate the need for anxiolytic medication.

Older Adults With Cognitive and/or Physical Impairments Can Benefit From Immersive Virtual Reality Experiences: A Feasibility Study.

Background: Older adults living in long term care, rehabilitation hospitals, and seniors' residences often experience reduced mobility, sometimes resulting in confinement indoors and isolation, which can introduce or aggravate symptoms of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and apathy. As Virtual Reality (VR) technologies become increasingly accessible and affordable, there is a unique opportunity to enable older adults to escape their restricted physical realities and be transported to both stimulating and calming places which may improve their general well-being. To date no robust evaluations of the use of immersive VR therapy [experienced through a head-mounted-display (HMD)] for older adults within these settings have been reported. VR-therapy may prove to be a safe, inexpensive, non-pharmacological means of managing depressive symptoms and providing engagement and enjoyment to this rapidly growing demographic.Objectives: Establish whether it is feasible to use immersive VR technology as therapy for older adults who have reduced sensory, mobility and/or impaired cognition. This includes evaluation of tolerability, comfort, and ease of use of the HMD, and of the potential for immersive VR to provide enjoyment/relaxation and reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.Methods: Sixty-six older adults (mean age 80.5, SD = 10.5) with varying cognitive abilities (normal = 28, mild impairment = 17, moderate impairment = 12, severe impairment = 3, unknown cognitive score = 6), and/or physical impairments, entered a multi-site non-randomized interventional study in Toronto, Canada. Participants experienced 3 to 20 min of 360°-video footage of nature scenes displayed on Samsung GearVR HMD. Data was collected through pre/post-intervention surveys, standardized observations during intervention, and post-intervention semi-structured interviews addressing the VR experience.Results: All participants completed the study with no negative side-effects reported (e.g., No dizziness, disorientation, interference with hearing aids); the average time spent in VR was 8 min and 76% of participants viewed the entire experience at least once. Participants tolerated the HMD very well; most had positive feedback, feeling more relaxed and adventurous; 76% wanted to try VR again. Better image quality and increased narrative video content were suggested to improve the experience.Conclusion: It is feasible and safe to expose older adults with various levels of cognitive and physical impairments to immersive VR within these settings. Further research should evaluate the potential benefits of VR in different settings (e.g., home/community based) and explore better customization/optimization of the VR content and equipment for the targeted populations.

The Influence of Display Parameters and Display Devices over Spatial Ability Test Answers in Virtual Reality Environments

This manuscript analyzes the influence of display parameters and display devices over the spatial skills of the users in virtual reality environments. For this, the authors of this manuscript developed a virtual reality application which tests the spatial skills of the users. 240 students used an LG desktop display and 61 students used the Gear VR for the tests. Statistical data are generated when the users do the tests and the following factors are logged by the application and evaluated in this manuscript: virtual camera type, virtual camera field of view, virtual camera rotation, contrast ratio parameters, the existence of shadows and the device used. The probabilities of correct answers were analyzed based on these factors by logistic regression (logit) analysis method. The influences and interactions of all factors were analyzed. The perspective camera, lighter contrast ratio, no or large camera rotations and the use of the Gear VR greatly and positively influenced the probability of correct answers on the tests. Therefore, for the assessment of spatial ability in virtual reality, the use of these parameters and device present the optimal user-centric human–computer interaction practice.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ЕЛЕКТРОННИХ ЗАСОБІВ НАВЧАННЯ В ПРОФЕСІЙНІЙ ПІДГОТОВЦІ ФАХІВЦІВ ФІЗИЧНОГО ВИХОВАННЯ І СПОРТУ

The article considers the peculiarities of the use of electronic learning tools in the process of training future specialists in physical education and sports. An analysis of the scientific literature on the use of electronic tools in the educational process in higher education is conducted. The experience of using e-learning tools in the process of training specialists in physical education and sports at Zaporizhia National University is generalized. A classification has been formed and four groups of e-learning tools have been substantiated for the training of future specialists in physical education and sports. The first group includes an electronic textbook. It is established that its educational functionality is higher than that of paper. The second group included quasi-professional learning tools using Google Wave, Google Groups, Zoom, FreeConferenceCall, Google Meet, Kahoot and QUIZIZZ, as well as LearningApps tools, which gave students the opportunity to create their own interactive exercises and learning games. The third group included multimedia teaching tools for creating presentations using Prezi, online application for animated video presentations PowToon, video editors Windows Movie Maker and VSDC Free Video Editor, visualization tools using online graphics services Google Developers, Easel.ly, Piktochart, Infogr.am, graphic editors Adobe Photoshop, The GIMP, Paint.net, PhotoInstrument, as well as tools for reproducing educational virtual reality using mobile VR-helmets OCULUS GO, MIRAGE SOLO, GEAR VR. The fourth group of e-learning tools in the training of future specialists in physical culture and sports included e-learning tools and its components, in particular, software and hardware Moodle, which allows you to develop exercises and tests to consolidate theoretical material and generalize knowledge of specialists in physical culture and sports. Scientific and methodological substantiation and recommendations on the use of electronic learning tools in the process of training specialists in physical culture and sports are provided.

Analyzing the Spatial Skills of University Students with a Virtual Reality Application using a Desktop Display and the Gear VR

Analyzing the Spatial Skills of University Students with a Virtual Reality Application using a Desktop Display and the Gear VR

An Experiment to Assess the Usefulness of a Virtual Environment as a Method of Public Speaking Anxiety Exposure

This abstract describes an experiment conducted to assess the effectiveness of a virtual environment to act as a method of exposure in the treatment of public speaking anxiety among high school students. In one of the experimental conditions, the participants had to make a presentation to a virtual audience using a Samsung Gear VR headset, which displayed a prerecorded 360-degree video of a classroom full of students. In another experimental condition, the participants had to make a presentation, without the VR headset and an audience. In both conditions, participant’s heartbeat rate (response variable) was measured. The results show that the heartbeat during the experimental condition with a VR headset was significantly higher with respect to the heartbeat rate measured to the condition without the headset. This study should be followed up with a treatment study, where a virtual reality device would track a user’s vitals during prolonged use and report the user’s progress.

Virtual Reality Sickness and Challenges Behind Different Technology and Content Settings

VR sickness (Cybersickness) presents an important challenge in virtual reality environments. We present the results of a study on the effects of VR technology and VR video content type on VR sickness and on autonomous nervous system of the user. The participants watched two omnidirectional (360°) videos of different content types (neutral and action) on five distinct video display types (2D TV screen, three generations of Oculus Rift VR HMDs and on the mobile Samsung GearVR HMD). The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) in combination with the measurement of the physiological parameters (skin conductance and skin temperature, respiratory frequency and heart rate) were used to monitor the participants’ physiology. The results show that video content significantly affects the SSQ grading and the skin conductance level. VR sickness effects were significantly reported less often with TV display type than with other VR HMDs.

A Virtual Reality Environment to Visualize Three-Dimensional Patient-Specific Models by a Mobile Head-Mounted Display.

With the availability of low-cost head-mounted displays (HMDs), virtual reality environments (VREs) are increasingly being used in medicine for teaching and clinical purposes. Our aim was to develop an interactive, user-friendly VRE for tridimensional visualization of patient-specific organs, establishing a workflow to transfer 3-dimensional (3D) models from imaging datasets to our immersive VRE. This original VRE model was built using open-source software and a mobile HMD, Samsung Gear VR. For its validation, we enrolled 33 volunteers: morphologists (n = 11), trainee surgeons (n = 15), and expert surgeons (n = 7). They tried our VRE and then filled in an original 5-point Likert-type scale 6-item questionnaire, considering the following parameters: ease of use, anatomy comprehension compared with 2D radiological imaging, explanation of anatomical variations, explanation of surgical procedures, preoperative planning, and experience of gastrointestinal/neurological disorders. Results in the 3 groups were statistically compared using analysis of variance. Using cross-sectional medical imaging, the developed VRE allowed to visualize a 3D patient-specific abdominal scene in 1 hour. Overall, the 6 items were evaluated positively by all groups; only anatomy comprehension was statistically significant different among the 3 groups. Our approach, based on open-source software and mobile hardware, proved to be a valid and well-appreciated system to visualize 3D patient-specific models, paving the way for a potential new tool for teaching and preoperative planning.