Authors:
I. Ladakis
1
;
V. Kilintzis
1
;
D. Xanthopoulou
2
and
I. Chouvarda
1
Affiliations:
1
Lab. of Computing, Medical Informatics and Biomedical Imaging Technologies, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
;
2
School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Keyword(s):
Virtual Reality, VR, Serious Games, Stress, Sensor, Biomedical Signals, Heart Rate, EDA.
Abstract:
This paper proposes a VR – based gamified approach aiming to reduce stress levels in work environments. This idea employs a standalone VR headset for immersion in a peaceful virtual environment, guided deep breathing exercises, sensing of heart rate and electrodermal activity for the estimation of stress, and feedback to the VR environment. For the qualitative and quantitative assessment of stress levels two sensors were used, Scosche Rhythm+ for monitoring heart rate signal (HR) and Moodmetric Ring for monitoring the EDA (electrodermal activity) signal. As a preliminary work, a series of stress-inducing batteries were created, including different stressful conditions that may resemble real life conditions (e.g., at work). Experiments with volunteers were conducted, to investigate the stress response before and during a stressful situation, as well as after VR-based relaxation. The signal fluctuation over time and the correlation between HR/EDA signals were explored towards selecting
the optimal metric for the representation of the real stress level. The results of this preliminary study are relevant for the timely estimation of stress levels and the provision of a simple and useful tool for the immediate decrease of stress in various real-life environments such as work environments.
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