Development of a virtual reality usability framework that correlates physiological and qualitative assessment data

虚拟现实（VR）作为一种消费级技术，目前正蓬勃发展。然而，必须解决各种开放的研究问题，特别是在用户界面和可用性方面，才能更成功地推广。本研究计划的重点是通过用户指标开发用户界面和VR严肃游戏可用性评估框架。用户指标包括以下相关参数：i) VR交互过程中物理环境的影响，ii)用户在测试过程中的高度可变性（如年龄、性别、专业知识、健康状况），iii) VR硬件的持续发展，iv)沉浸过程中硬件可能产生的影响和干扰，以及v) VR标准化可用性评估的缺乏，这已经看到使用传统的可用性问卷(如系统可用性量表、用户满意度问卷、软件可用性测量清单，以及研究后系统可用性问卷等)，鉴于虚拟场景中发生的独特交互（例如，运动和身体手势），这些问卷可能无法传达适当的评估。拟议的研究计划将导致：i)更深入地了解VR可用性，以开发VR交互设计和开发的知识和工具体系；ii)开发新的VR用户界面和可用性框架，允许将生理数据与可用性问卷和启发式相结合。iii)开发一种技术，将可用性问卷和启发式与VR生理交互数据联系起来；iv)一套VR可用性指南和最佳实践，供设计师、开发人员和爱好者设计可用的VR体验。拟议的研究计划也将对VR社区产生影响，因为目前消费者级VR硬件和软件开发工具的使用，导致许多一刀切的解决方案缺乏适当的VR设计和评估，这将对VR的广泛应用产生负面影响。***总的来说，拟议的研究计划将为设计、评估和评估VR交互开发更有效、更全面的用户界面和框架。这项研究的结果可能会对加拿大政府通过创新来实现包容的举措产生积极影响，其中VR在提供学习、培训、社会包容和娱乐应用等方面的安全、受控和监控体验方面发挥重要作用。另外，世界经济论坛（wef）将虚拟现实（VR）定义为第四次产业革命，因此，VR市场的增长将产生重大影响。

Virtual reality (VR) is currently gaining momentum as a consumer-level technology. However, various open research issues must be addressed, particularly with respect to user interfaces and usability before it becomes more successfully widespread. This research program focuses on the development of a user interface and a framework for usability assessment in VR serious games through user metrics. User metrics include parameters associated to: i) the effects of the physical environment during VR interactions, ii) the high variability of users during testing (e.g., age, gender, expertise, health conditions), iii) the continuous development of VR hardware, iv) possible influence and interference of hardware during immersion, and v) the lack of VR standardized usability evaluations, which has seen the use of traditional usability questionnaires (e.g., System Usability Scale, Questionnaire of User Satisfaction, Software Usability Measurement Inventory, and Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire amongst others), which may not convey proper assessments given the unique interactions occurring in virtual scenarios (e.g., locomotion and body gestures). The proposed research program will lead to: i) a greater understanding of VR usability to develop a body of knowledge and tools for VR interaction design and development, ii) the development of a novel VR user interface and usability framework that allows integrating physiological data with usability questionnaires and heuristics. iii) development of a technique to correlate the usability questionnaire and heuristics with the physiological VR interaction data, and iv) a set of guidelines and best practices for VR usability that designers, developers, and enthusiast may employ to design usable VR experiences. The proposed research program will also an impact in the VR community as the current employment of consumer-level VR hardware and software development tools, has resulted in the availability of numerous one-size-fits-all solutions lacking proper VR design and assessment, and this will negatively affect the widespread application of VR.***Collectively, the proposed research program will result in a path to develop a more effective and comprehensive user interface and framework for the design, assessment and evaluation of VR interactions. The results of this research may positively impact Canadian Government initiatives oriented at inclusion through innovation where VR plays an important role to provide safe, controlled, and monitored experiences with learning, training, social inclusion, and entertainment applications, amongst others. Additionally, the growth of the VR market is considered to have a major impact since VR is being acknowledged as the fourth industrial revolution by the World Economic Forum.