2024/11/22 by Reza Kazemi, Naveen Kumar, Seul Chan Lee · 1 voice
Computer Science · Engineering · Psychology · #Human-Automation Interaction and Safety #Spatial Cognition and Navigation #Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
paper · doi:10.1080/10447318.2024.2429891
openalex publication_date 2024/11/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
This study examined the effects of two locomotion methods (joystick and teleportation) and two postures (sitting and standing) on mental workload (MWL) in virtual reality (VR). Sixty participants played a VR game using a 2 × 2 experimental design, with assessments including Electroencephalography (alpha and theta bands), Electrocardiography (heart rate and heart-rate variability indices), and the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). The results showed lower theta activities and higher alpha activities in the joystick condition, indicating higher MWL in the teleportation condition, primarily due to time demand and effort. Sitting posture resulted in lower mental load and higher heart rate with increased Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal intervals (SDNN) compared to standing, suggesting higher MWL in the standing posture. The NASA-TLX highlighted physical demand, effort, and time demand as crucial factors in MWL related to posture. These findings provide a basis for developing human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) guidelines for VR, emphasizing the importance of locomotion methods and user posture in reducing mental workload.