Virtual Reality Techniques Research Articles

Using of Virtual Reality Techniques in Education to Achieve Physical and Intangible Heritage for Historical Buildings

Using of Virtual Reality Techniques in Education to Achieve Physical and Intangible Heritage for Historical Buildings

Development of the Virtual Reality Application: “The Ships of Navarino”

Virtual reality and 3D modeling techniques are increasingly popular modes of representation for historical artifacts and cultural heritage, as they allow for a more immersive experience. This article describes the process that was adopted for the development of a virtual reality application for four ships involved in the historic battle of Navarino. The specific naval battle was the culmination of military operations during the Greek Revolution in 1827, in which the allied British, Russian, and French fleet defeated Turkish-Egyptian forces. Representative 3D models of four significant warships that participated in the battle of Navarino were created: the British “Asia”, the French frigate “Armide”, the Russian “Azov”, and the Ottoman “Kuh-I-Revan”. These historic ships were digitally designed according to historical drawings and a VR battle environment was developed, which visitors can experience. In addition, the 3D models were generated by a 3D printer and painted according to the digitized ship-models. The development was conducted within the realm of the NAVS Project. The VR application, “The Ships of Navarino”, as well as the 3D-printed models were presented as part of a physical exhibition hosted in the Eugenides Foundation in Athens, Greece.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Motor Imagery Combined with Virtual Reality Techniques in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurological disease, affecting balance, motor function, and activities of daily living. Virtual reality and motor imagery are two emerging approaches for the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson’s disease. This study aimed to determine the combined effects of virtual reality and motor imagery techniques with routine physical therapy on the motor function components of individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Methods: The study was a prospective, two-arm, parallel-design randomized controlled trial. Forty-four patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Virtual reality and motor imagery were given together with physical therapy in the experimental group (N: 20), while physical therapy treatment alone was given in the control group (N: 21). Both groups received allocated treatment for 12 weeks, 3 days a week, on alternate days. Motor function was assessed at baseline, six weeks, twelve weeks, and sixteen weeks after discontinuing treatment with the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III. SPSS 24 was used to analyze the data. Results: Study results indicate that the experimental group showed significant improvements in the motor function components: tremor at rest at the 6th week (p = 0.028), 12th week (p = 0.05), and 16th week (p = 0.001), rigidity at the 6th week (p = 0.03), 12th week (p = 0.000), and 16th week (p = 0.001), posture at the 12th week (p = 0.005) and 16th week (p = 0.004), and gait at the 6th week with a p-value of (p = 0.034). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that virtual reality and motor imagery training in combination with routine physical therapy can significantly improve resting tremors, rigidity, posture, gait, and body bradykinesia in individuals with PD in comparison to patients receiving only routine physical therapy.

First Trimester Maternal Homocysteine and Embryonic and Fetal Growth: The Rotterdam Periconception Cohort.

Homocysteine is a marker for derangements in one-carbon metabolism. Elevated homocysteine may represent a causal link between poor maternal nutrition and impaired embryonic and fetal development. We sought to investigate associations between reference range maternal homocysteine and embryonic and fetal growth. We enrolled 1060 singleton pregnancies (555 natural and 505 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) pregnancies) from November 2010 to December 2020. Embryonic and fetal body and head growth was assessed throughout pregnancy using three-dimensional ultrasound scans and virtual reality techniques. Homocysteine was negatively associated with first trimester embryonic growth in the included population (crown-rump length B −0.023 mm, 95% CI −0.038,−0.007, p = 0.004, embryonic volume B −0.011 cm3, 95% CI −0.018,−0.004, p = 0.003). After stratification for conception mode, this association remained in IVF/ICSI pregnancies with frozen embryo transfer (crown-rump length B −0.051 mm, 95% CI −0.081,−0.023, p < 0.001, embryonic volume B −0.024 cm3, 95% CI −0.039,−0.009, p = 0.001), but not in IVF/ICSI pregnancies with fresh embryo transfer and natural pregnancies. Homocysteine was not associated with longitudinal measurements of head growth in first trimester, nor with second and third trimester fetal growth. Homocysteine in the highest quartile (7.3–14.9 µmol/L) as opposed to the lowest (2.5–5.2 µmol/L) was associated with reduced birth weight in natural pregnancies only (B −51.98 g, 95% CI −88.13,−15.84, p = 0.005). In conclusion, high maternal homocysteine within the reference range is negatively associated with first trimester embryonic growth and birth weight, and the effects of homocysteine are dependent on conception mode.

Periconceptional maternal social, lifestyle and medical risk factors impair embryonic growth: The Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort

Research question:What is the association between the degree of a state of maternal vulnerability, determined by suboptimal periconceptional social, lifestyle and medical exposures and embryonic growth? Design:In total, 555 pregnancies, comprising 324 naturally conceived pregnancies and 231 pregnancies conceived after IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were included from the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort (Predict Study) between November 2010 and August 2018. Data on periconceptional social, lifestyle and medical exposures, i.e. vulnerability markers, were collected through self-administered questionnaires. To estimate embryonic growth, crown–rump length (CRL) and embryonic volume measurements were taken at 7, 9 and 11 weeks of gestation using three-dimensional ultrasound scans and virtual reality techniques. Results:Exposure to two or more vulnerability markers was negatively associated with embryonic growth in naturally conceived pregnancies. The CRL and embryonic volume trajectories of embryos of women exposed to two vulnerability markers were reduced compared with those of women exposed to zero or one vulnerability marker (√CRL: β = –0.29 mm, 95% CI –0.56 to –0.02; 3√EV: β = –0.14 cm3, 95% CI –0.27 to –0.01). These associations were not found in pregnancies conceived after IVF or ICSI. Conclusions:This study showed that a higher degree of the periconceptional state of maternal vulnerability is associated with reduced embryonic growth (CRL and embryonic volume) in naturally conceived pregnancies.

Using Virtual Reality Techniques to Alleviate Cognitive Fatigue in Graduate Students Working while in College

Using Virtual Reality Techniques to Alleviate Cognitive Fatigue in Graduate Students Working while in College

Stereoscopic Images and Virtual Reality techniques in daylighting research: A method-comparison study

Visualization and presentation techniques are experiencing a rapid development and application in the architectural profession and beyond. As such, Stereoscopic Images (SI) and Virtual Reality (VR), both advanced visualization techniques, have found their way in daylighting research. This paper explores the correspondence between these two techniques using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study focused on two small rooms with the same dimensions, with alternately white and black surfaces, and three different windows sizes. Seven architectural qualities were studied: Pleasantness, Calmness, Interest, Excitement, Complexity, Spaciousness, and Amount of View. The attributes were evaluated by 20 participants using a Likert-type scale. The collected data was analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and the Bland-Altman method. The results revealed that the attributes Pleasantness, Calmness, Interest, and Complexity in rooms with both white and black surfaces, and Excitement and Spaciousness in a room with white surfaces are evaluated similarly in both VR and SI. The attributes Excitement and Spaciousness in a room with black surfaces and the Amount of View in rooms with both white and black surfaces were not evaluated similarly with both methods. In addition, qualitative results indicated that the visualization technique affects how a space is perceived. Indeed, the Virtual Reality's nature as an immersive environment provides the feeling of ‘presence’ which does not apply to SI. The results of this paper can help researchers working with daylighting in buildings in selecting the appropriate visualization technique to reduce experimental and logistical constraints caused by varying daylight conditions.

Trends in the Use of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality in Surgical Research: a Global Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis.

There have been many major developments in the use of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies in the context of global surgical research, yet few reports on the trends in this field have been published to date. This study was therefore designed to explore these worldwide trends in this clinically important field. Relevant studies published from 1 January 2009 through 13 October 2020 were retrieved from the Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-E) tool of the Web of Science database. Bibliometric techniques were then used to analyze the resultant data, with visual bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, co-citation, co-occurrence, and publication trend analyses subsequently being conducted with GraphPad Prism 8 and with the visualization of similarities (VOS) software tool. There is no patient and public involved. In total, 6221 relevant studies were incorporated into this analysis. At a high level, clear global annual increases in the number of publications in this field were observed. The USA made the greatest contributions to this field over the studied period, with the highest H-index value, the most citations, and the greatest total link strength for analyzed publications. The country with the highest number of average citations per publication was Scotland. The Surgical Endoscopy And Other Interventional Techniques journal contributed the greatest number of publications in this field. The University of London was the institution that produced the greatest volume of research in this field. Overall, studies could be broadly classified into five clusters: Neurological Research, Surgical Techniques, Technological Products, Rehabilitative Medicine, and Clinical Therapy. The trends detected in the present analysis suggest that the number of global publications pertaining to the use of AR, VR, and MR techniques in surgical research is likely to increase in the coming years. Particular attention should be paid to emerging trends in related fields including MR, extended reality, head-mounted displays, navigation, and holographic images.

The impact of maternal smoking on embryonic morphological development: the Rotterdam Periconception Cohort.

STUDY QUESTIONIs periconceptional maternal smoking associated with embryonic morphological development in ongoing pregnancies?SUMMARY ANSWERSmoking during the periconceptional period is associated with a delayed embryonic morphological development which is not fully recuperated beyond the first trimester of pregnancy.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYSmoking during pregnancy decreases prenatal growth, increasing the risk of preterm birth, small for gestational age (GA) and childhood obesity.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONBetween 2010 and 2018, 689 women with ongoing singleton pregnancies were periconceptionally enrolled in a prospective cohort study with follow-up until 1 year after delivery.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSBetween 7 + 0 and 10 + 3 weeks, GA serial three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound scans were performed. Embryonic morphological development as assessed by the Carnegie developmental stages was evaluated using Virtual Reality techniques. In the absence of fetal morphology classification methods beyond the embryonic period, fetal ultrasound measurements at around 20 weeks’ GA, and birth weight were used to assess fetal growth. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the association between smoking and the Carnegie stages. Regarding first-trimester morphological development, we additionally stratified our findings for mode of conception. Multiple linear regression models were used to study the association between smoking, fetal growth and birth weight. To investigate to which extent delayed embryonic morphological development mediated the effect of smoking, contemporary mediation analysis was used. Adjustments were made for potential confounders and other covariates.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEA total of 689 singleton ongoing pregnancies were included and 1210 Carnegie stages were determined. Maternal periconceptional smoking represented by the number of cigarettes/day was associated with a slight non-significant delay of the Carnegie stages (βcigarettes/day = −0.058, 95% CI −0.122; 0.007, P = 0.080). Smoking of ≥10 cigarettes/day showed the strongest association (β≥10 cigarettes/day = −0.352, 95% CI −0.648; −0.057, P = 0.019), as reflected by a 0.9-day delay in reaching the final Carnegie stage. Stratification for mode of conception showed a stronger negative association between the number of cigarettes/day in the IVF/ICSI group (βcigarettes/day = −0.126, 95% CI −0.200; −0.051, P = 0.001) compared to naturally conceived pregnancies (βcigarettes/day = 0.009, 95% CI −0.093; 0.111, P = 0.867). In the IVF/ICSI group, periconceptional smoking of ≥10 cigarettes/day was associated with in a 1.6 day delay in reaching the final Carnegie stage (β≥10 cigarettes/day = −0.510, 95% CI −0.834; −0.186, P = 0.002). In the second trimester, periconceptional smoking was associated with a smaller femur length (βcigarettes/day = −0.077, 95% CI −0.147; −0.008, P = 0.029) and a larger head circumference (β1–9 cigarettes/day = 0.290, 95% CI 0.065; 0.514, P = 0.012). Smoking was associated with a lower birth weight, with a dose-response effect (βcigarettes/day = −0.150, 95% CI −0.233; −0.068, P < 0.001). Furthermore, using the unadjusted model, 40–60% of the association between smoking and fetal ultrasound parameters and 6.3% of the association between smoking and birth weight can be explained by a delayed embryonic morphology.LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTIONThe study population was recruited from a tertiary referral center. Smoking habits were explored using self-reported questionnaires and checked for consistency by trained researchers.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSThis study shows that the association of periconceptional maternal smoking and human morphological development can already be detected early in the first trimester of pregnancy using embryonic morphology as outcome. One of the key messages of this study is that the delay, or dysregulation, in embryonic morphology is associated with allometric growth reflected by smaller fetal measurements at 20 weeks gestation and lower weight at birth. The delay in embryonic morphology, measured in early pregnancy, cannot be recuperated during the pregnancy. The results of this study emphasize the importance of smoking intervention programs prior to conception. More research is warranted to assess the association between periconceptional smoking cessation and embryonic development.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)The work was funded by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERN/A.

Efficacy of virtual reality techniques in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: protocol for a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and trial sequential analysis

IntroductionCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most critical procedure in the rescue of patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD). The success rate of CPR remains far below expectations, which made CPR...

The Effect of the Environment on the Serviceability of the Cross‐Laminated Timber (CLT) Floor: Virtual Reality as a Research Tool

The environment is one of the factors that may influence occupants’ perception of floor vibration and the assessment of floor serviceability. In this study, laboratory tests were conducted on a 3‐ply CLT floor. Occupants’ assessment of the floor serviceability under human‐induced vibration was investigated. Virtual reality (VR) technique was used as a research method, simulating two common environments in life. First, the correlation between the occupants’ annoyance rating and serviceability indicators (response factor and vibration dose value (VDV)) was compared with existing standards. The results show that the response factor method in ISO 10137:2007 is conservative for timber floors in both bedroom and gym environments. The VDV method in BS 6472‐1:2008 can generally reflect the vibration acceptability of timber floor vibration. Then, the effect of acceleration and environment on the floor serviceability assessment was investigated through statistical methods, respectively. A weak positive correlation between the annoyance rating and the acceleration was found. The effect of the environment on floor vibration assessment was found to be significant.

Visualization and Interaction Technologies in Serious and Exergames for Cognitive Assessment and Training: A Survey on Available Solutions and Their Validation

Exergames and serious games, based on standard personal computers, mobile devices and gaming consoles or on novel immersive Virtual and Augmented Reality techniques, have become popular in the last few years and are now applied in various research fields, among which cognitive assessment and training of heterogeneous target populations. Moreover, the adoption of Web based solutions together with the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms could bring countless advantages, both for the patients and the clinical personnel, as allowing the early detection of some pathological conditions, improving the efficacy and adherence to rehabilitation processes, through the personalisation of training sessions, and optimizing the allocation of resources by the healthcare system. The current work proposes a systematic survey of existing solutions in the field of cognitive assessment and training. We evaluate the visualization and interaction technologies commonly adopted and the measures taken to fulfil the need of the pathological target populations. Moreover, we analyze how implemented solutions are validated, i.e. the chosen experimental designs, data collection and analysis. Finally, we consider the availability of the applications and raw data to the large community of researchers and medical professionals and the actual application of proposed solutions in the standard clinical practice. Despite the potential of these technologies, research is still at an early stage. Although the recent release of accessible immersive virtual reality headsets and the increasing interest on vision-based techniques for tracking body and hands movements, many studies still rely on non-immersive virtual reality (67.2%), mainly mobile and personal computers, and standard gaming tools for interactions (41.5%). Finally, we highlight that although the interest of research community in this field is increasingly higher, the sharing of dataset (10.6%) and implemented applications (3.8%) should be promoted and the number of healthcare structures which have successfully introduced the new technological approaches in the treatment of their host patients is limited (10.2%).

Effects of guided imagery relaxation in hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation patients: a quasi-experimental study.

To analyze the effects of the technique of virtual reality guided imagery in the vital signs of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation patients. Quasi-experimental study with 35 participants who received an intervention using virtual reality guided imagery with progressive muscle relaxation, applied three times a week for four weeks in a referral hospital for transplants in the south of Brazil. Data collected included: temperature, arterial pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, pain, and oxygen saturation, before and after each intervention. The comparisons were analyzed using Wilcoxon's test. There was a clinical significance between the mean measurements before and after for respiratory rate (p=0.00) in all stages, and for the variables Heart rate, Temperature, and Oxygen saturation from the 1st to the 12th measurements (p=0.05). The intervention was low cost, easy to apply, and showed positive effects, presenting itself as an option for patient-focused care.

Virtual Reality for Hypertension in Tooth Extraction: A Randomized Trial

Tooth extraction is one of the most common causes of dental anxiety and pain, leading to the elevation of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Such effects may be exaggerated and cause life-threatening accidents in patients with hypertension. Therefore, the pain and anxiety management of these patients is imperative. Virtual reality (VR) has been demonstrated to be a distraction method to relieve anxiety and pain in clinical operations. Thus, we hypothesized that VR can control the elevation of BP and HR in patients with hypertension. In this study, 96 eligible patients with controlled hypertension who needed tooth extraction were randomized to the VR or standard care group by stratified randomization of anxiety grade and gender. Their BP and HR were dynamically monitored. The corresponding systolic and diastolic BP and HR values were selected when systolic BP was at the highest point of the process. BP was converted into mean arterial pressure (MAP) for comparison per the following formula: MAP = (systolic BP + 2 × diastolic BP)/3. Statistical analyses were by intention to treat and conducted in SPSS. Nonparametric rank sum tests were used to compare the difference of ΔMAP and ΔHR between the VR and standard care groups. Multivariate linear regression was applied to evaluate the effect of VR on ΔMAP and ΔHR. The results showed that the VR technique significantly decreased the elevation of MAP (P < 0.001) and HR (P < 0.001), and this effect was found even after adjusting for baseline characteristics and additional surgical procedures (ΔMAP, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.276; ΔHR, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.152). VR did not increase the incidence of adverse events (P = 0.677). In conclusion, the VR technique was effective in controlling BP and HR within an acceptable range and can help manage BP and HR during tooth extraction for patients with hypertension (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100042132).

Virtual Reality Program in Cybercrime Investigation: A Pilot Study Examining Search and Seizure of Digital Evidence Practice.

Cybercrimes are developing at a rapid pace, forcing investigative methods to follow suit through the implementation of integrated virtual reality (VR) techniques. The current study discusses preliminary findings from the utilization of VR training in cyber investigations, particularly in search and seizure procedures. Using a three-stage training, students were assessed on the use of a VR program through pre- and post-testing and in-depth interviews. These findings indicated that VR training helped students understand and reinforce concepts, procedures, and techniques of cyber investigation. These findings signified how pivotal it is to integrate VR training in academia and forensic departments. Cybercrime investigation training is expected to both quickly and efficiently incorporate technological and industrial advancements accompanying the Fourth Industrial Revolution so that newly discovered and sophisticated cybercrimes can be prevented as soon as possible. Ultimately, the training will aid investigators in creating efficient and effective countermeasures while alleviating burdens on the investigation.

A Study on Usability and Motion Sickness of Locomotion Techniques for Virtual Reality

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Virtual Reality (VR) is widely used today in both research and entertainment. The continuous growth of this technology makes VR consumer hardware now available for masses. The new trend in the next generation of VR devices is a VR headset and controllers with inside-out technology. These VR devices will become an important basis for the future of VR applications. Virtual travel or locomotion inside VR experiences is the important part in the VR application development, which affected to the users preference. The goal of this research is to study the difference of locomotion in VR with new trend devices consisting of VR headset and controllers without using other accessories. Three locomotion techniques: controller-based, motion-based and teleportation-based were used to analyze the differences. The VR scene with virtual environments was created to use in the experiment where the users have to move with different locomotion technique. The Usability Questionnaire (UQ) is used to evaluate the usability value of each locomotion technique, while Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) is used to assess the motion sickness value. The results showed that the usability (p-value=0.02007) and motion sickness (p-value=0.00014) of all locomotion techniques are different and the usability affected to the user preference. The conclusions of VR locomotion studies were discussed with the limitations of the study and the future work for this research.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Periconceptional maternal folate status and the impact on embryonic head and brain structures: the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort

Research questionDoes periconceptional maternal folate status influence the size of human embryonic head and brain structures? DesignThe study population was selected from the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort conducted at the Erasmus MC. Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound scans were performed at 9 and 11 weeks of gestational age. Using 3D ultrasound datasets, head volume, head circumference, diencephalon (DTD), mesencephalon (MTD) and left/right telencephalon (TTL/TTR) measurements were performed offline using a virtual reality technique and specialized 3D software. Maternal venous blood samples were taken at study entry to determine red blood cell (RBC) folate. Linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between RBC folate status and embryonic head and brain structures adjusted for gestational age, alcohol use, smoking, maternal age and mode of conception. ResultsRBC folate measurements were available for 144 of the 166 singleton pregnancies eligible for analysis. RBC folate quartiles were defined: 466–1078 nmol/l (Q1), 1079–1342 nmol/l (Q2), 1343–1594 nmol/l (Q3), 1595–2919 nmol/l (Q4), with Q3 being used as reference. At 11 weeks of gestational age, head volume was largest in Q1 (β = 0.866; P = 0.004) and Q4 (β = 0.764; P = 0.007). In addition, head circumference at 11 weeks of gestational age was significantly larger in Q4 (β = 2.745; P = 0.03). There were no statistical significantly associations between the RBC folate quartiles and the sizes of the DTD, MTD, TTL and TTR. ConclusionsU-shaped associations were shown between the periconceptional maternal RBC folate status and embryonic head volume and head circumference. The clinical implication of these findings needs further investigation.

Development and Preliminary Validation of a Virtual Reality Approach for Measurement of Torsional Strabismus.

Double Maddox rod (DMR), the gold-standard method for in-office measurement of cyclodeviation, requires an examiner and specialized equipment. The objective of this study was to develop a virtual reality (VR) technique for measurement of cyclodeviation and validate this against the DMR. A VR-DMR was implemented using a smartphone and commercially available VR viewer. The app displayed a line to each eye and accepted touch inputs from the user to rotate the lines into perceived alignment. VR-DMR cyclodeviation measurements were compared with traditional DMR (T-DMR) cyclodeviation measurements in adults with and without strabismus and children without strabismus. Thirty-one subjects were studied (age 5-88 years, 20 with strabismus). VR-DMR had similar test-retest reliability as T-DMR. VR-DMR was highly correlated with T-DMR (r2 = 0.94, linear regression slope 1.12) with a slight positive bias (linear regression y intercept 1°). VR-DMR was preferred by 54% of subjects with 29% having no preference. A VR method of ocular cyclodeviation measurement using sensory techniques was implemented using commercially available hardware. VR measurements compared favorably with gold-standard DMR measurements, and user feedback was positive. The VR methodology has application for in office and home use by nonexperts for purposes of strabismus monitoring.

Leveraging Human Visual Perception for an Optimized Virtual Reality Experience.

We explore perceptually motivated research through virtual reality (VR) with the human as an experimental medium. We track, study, and model our spatio-temporal gaze behaviors to understand cognitive responses. Furthermore, we leverage this knowledge to advance computer graphics techniques in VR with more efficient rendering, increased display comfort, and safer locomotion.

Analyzing bicycle level of service using virtual reality and deep learning technologies

Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) provides an essential tool for evaluating the operations of low-carbon bicycle facilities and prioritizing investment in new bicycle facilities under various constraints. This study aimed at developing a LOS method for assessing bicycle facilities in the metropolitan areas of China. Using this method, we addressed major challenges in obtaining user ratings of bicycle facilities and captured senses of satisfaction of bike users riding on bicycle facilities. Virtual Reality (VR) technique was introduced to obtain data by creating 120 immersive settings or scenarios for participants. A hundred of bicyclists or participants with a wide range of characters were recruited. These participants were asked to express their senses of satisfaction under predefined physical conditions of bike facilities and traffic conditions. Their Satisfaction Rating Scores (SRS) were documented. The statistical relationships between rider’s feelings and bike facilities/traffic conditions were modeled and verified through a symbolic regression (or an effective deep learning) approach. The model is demonstrated to be reliable in predicting SRS of bicyclists with a high correlation coefficient. This study also developed a set of LOS criteria based on the cumulative distribution of satisfaction scores. These LOS criteria are simple to use and effective in assessing operational performance of existing bicycle facilities and providing decision makers with insightful guidance for planning, designing, and operating new active transportation facilities.