Utilizing Eye Tracking in VR Environments to Understand the Impact of Biophilic Interventions

Following Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Ulrich’s Stress Reduction Theory (SRT), this research aims to investigate the emotional impact of biophilic interventions in public interior spaces by focusing on eye-tracking data: gaze fixations, fixation durations, and scan paths, as well as heart rate variability and galvanic skin response. To collect and visualize data, a bespoke software system is developed with Unreal Engine. A photorealistic office building atrium is modeled to be used as the virtual experiment environment. Aside from the control condition – participants’ biometric responses to four different spatial variations are observed: biophilic elements, natural views, color-mimicking biophilic elements, and natural materials. Convenience sampling is utilized to create a pool of interior architecture and architecture students, due to their intrinsic interest in spatial characteristics. Each participant experiences the same virtual environments, in randomized order. One-way ANOVA and t-test comparisons with calculated effect sizes are used to analyze the biometric data collected via the control condition and four spatial variations. This research helps designers and researchers better understand the emotional response to biophilic interventions in interior environments, in addition to showcasing a methodology for collecting, visualizing, and interpreting eye-tracking data of a 3D environment.