Eyes on me: Investigating the role and influence of eye-tracking data on user modeling in virtual reality

Jeong, Dayoung; Jeong, Mingon; Yang, Ungyeon; Han, Kyungsik

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0278970

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 62 publications

(38 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Currently, we see a strong trend to incorporate bio-behavioral metrics into VR systems (e.g., hand-and facial tracking for user interaction and avatar expressiveness, heart monitoring, eye-tracking, etc.) (33)(34)(35).…”

Section: Vr's Virtues: Realism Control and Measurement Capabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments

Schmälzle

Lim

Cho

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Exposure is the cornerstone of media and message effects research. If a health, political, or commercial message is not noticed, no effects can ensue. Yet, existing research in communication, advertising, and related disciplines often fails to measure exposure and demonstrate the causal link between quantified exposure to outcomes because actual exposure (i.e., whether recipients were not only exposed to messages but also took notice of them) is difficult to capture. Here, we harness Virtual Reality (VR) technology integrated with eye tracking to overcome this challenge. While eye-tracking technology alone can capture whether people attend to messages in their communication environment, most eye-tracking research is bound by laboratory-based screen-reading paradigms that are not representative of the broader communication environments in which messages are encountered. Emerging eye-tracking field research suffers from an inability to control and experimentally manipulate key variables. Our solution is to measure eye-tracking within an immersive environment in VR that resembles a realistic message reception context. Specifically, we simulate driving down a highway alongside which billboards are placed and use VR-integrated eye-tracking to measure whether the drivers look at individual billboard messages. This allows us to rigorously quantify the nexus between exposure and reception, and to link our measures to subsequent memory, i.e., whether messages were remembered, forgotten, or not even encoded. We further demonstrate that manipulating drivers' attention directly impacts gaze behavior and memory. We discuss the large potential of this paradigm to quantify exposure and message reception in realistic communication environments and the equally promising applications in new media contexts (e.g., the Metaverse).

show abstract

Section: Vr's Virtues: Realism Control and Measurement Capabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments

Schmälzle

Lim

Cho

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some important measures come as a byproduct of the use of VR headsets (such as movement and orientation) and hand controllers (such as data on pointing and gripping activities). Newer hardware developments also focus on incorporating biobehavioral measurement devices into VR, such as face-tracking to study emotional expressions or heart rate, EEG, and eye-tracking measures [51][52][53].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the exposure-reception-retention link in realistic communication environments via VR and eye-tracking: The VR billboard paradigm

Schmälzle,

Lim,

Cho

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Exposure is key to message effects. No effects can ensue if a health, political, or commercial message is not noticed. Yet, existing research in communication, advertising, and related disciplines often measures ‘opportunities for exposure’ at an aggregate level, whereas knowing whether recipients were ‘actually exposed’ to a message requires a micro-level approach. Micro-level research, on the other hand, focuses on message processing and retention, takes place under highly controlled laboratory conditions with forced message exposure, and largely ignores how recipients attend selectively to messages under more natural conditions. Eye-tracking enables us to assess actual exposure, but its previous applications were restricted to screen-based reading paradigms lacking ecological validity or field studies that suffer from limited experimental control. Our solution is to measure eye-tracking within an immersive VR environment that creates the message delivery and reception context. Specifically, we simulate a car ride down a highway alongside which billboards are placed. The VR headset (HP Omnicept Pro) provides an interactive 3D view of the environment and holds a seamlessly integrated binocular eye tracker that records the drivers’ gaze and detects all fixations on the billboards. This allows us to quantify the nexus between exposure and reception rigorously, and to link our measures to subsequent memory, i.e., whether messages were remembered, forgotten, or not even encoded. An empirical study shows that incidental memory for messages differs based on participants’ gaze behavior while passing the billboards. The study further shows how an experimental manipulation of attentional demands directly impacts drivers’ gaze behavior and memory. We discuss the large potential of this paradigm to quantify exposure and message reception in realistic communication environments and the equally promising applications in new media contexts (e.g., the Metaverse).

show abstract

Enhancing virtual reality exposure therapy: Optimizing treatment outcomes for agoraphobia through advanced simulation and comparative analysis

Yang,

Che,

et al. 2024

Computer Animation & Virtual

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper investigates the application of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) to treat agoraphobia, focusing on two pivotal research questions derived from identified gaps in current therapeutic approaches. The first question (RQ1) addresses the development of complex VR environments to enhance therapy's effectiveness by simulating real‐world anxiety triggers. The second question (RQ2) examines the differential impact of these VR environments on agoraphobic and nonagoraphobic participants through rigorous comparative analyses using t‐tests. Methodologies include advanced data processing techniques for electrodermal activity (EDA) and eye‐tracking metrics to assess the anxiety levels induced by these environments. Additionally, qualitative methods such as structured interviews and questionnaires complement these measurements, providing deeper insights into the subjective experiences of participants. Video recordings of sessions using Unity software offer a layer of data, enabling the study to replay and analyze interactions within the VR environment meticulously. The experimental results confirm the efficacy of VR settings in eliciting significant physiological and psychological responses from participants, substantiating the VR scenarios' potential as a therapeutic tool. This study contributes to the broader discourse on the viability and optimization of VR technologies in clinical settings, offering a methodologically sound approach to the practicality and accessibility of exposure therapies for anxiety disorders.

show abstract

Eyes on me: Investigating the role and influence of eye-tracking data on user modeling in virtual reality

Cited by 6 publications

References 62 publications

The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments

The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments

Examining the exposure-reception-retention link in realistic communication environments via VR and eye-tracking: The VR billboard paradigm

Enhancing virtual reality exposure therapy: Optimizing treatment outcomes for agoraphobia through advanced simulation and comparative analysis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About