Research Project - VR Environments

Aims:
To understand users ability to focus on a switched attention task, their visual memory, their response strategy, and motor impulsivity.

Groups of participants:
-Controls
-People with ADHD/ADHD traits

Task Details:
In this project, users are immersed in a virtual chemistry lab with interactive equipment. A periodic table is displayed in front of them, and selecting an element triggers an animated 3D model of the corresponding atom. Participants are guided by a virtual robot to complete several chemistry experiments. The interactivity of the equipment is dynamically controlled by the user's attention level, measured via EEG: if attention falls below 50%, the equipment becomes non-interactable, and users can only proceed once their attention exceeds this threshold. This VR-based educational application was designed to explore whether immersive environments combined with neurofeedback can enhance learning outcomes in classroom and distance learning contexts. The task evaluates sustained attention, alternating and visual attention, visual memory, and response strategies.

Questionnaire:
Q1: What happens to aluminium if we add it into a beaker with bromine? (Right answer burns)
Q2: What was the second liquid that the user had to pour into the plate in experiment 3? (Right answer Methanol)
Q3: I felt present and involved in VR.
Q4: The task was interesting and was similar to a scenario that can happen in our day-to-day life.
Q5: I think I didn’t do very well in completing this task.
Q6: I think I did very well in completing this task.

Data Collected:
-From the task (we save username, average attention to complete the task, score (from 0 to 100 depends on attention average and reaction time, the higher the better) accuracy (low, medium, or high depending on the score), reaction time (from the point when users press the button start to start the experiments till the task is completed), timestamp)
-Eye tracker VR Add on (Pupil Labs)
-EEG VR Add on (Looxid Link)
-From the questionnaire

Hardware:
-Alienware m15 Gaming Laptop
-HTC Vive Pro
-Fovitec 2x 7'6" Light Stand VR Compatible Kit
-Pupil Labs
-Looxid Link

Software:
-Unity
-Unity Asset Store
-Daz3D
-Blender
-IBM TTS Api

Programming Languages used:
-C#
-Python using Spyder in Anaconda
-Jupyter Notebook
-MySQL
-PHP API