Assessment of stress in virtual reality environment using power spectral density ratio and second derivative of photoplethysmography

광 혈류 신호의 주파수 파워 특성과 이차 미분값을 이용한 가상환경의 스트레스 평가

There are many people who suffer from simulation sickness when immersing in virtual reality. In this study, we analyzed two photoplethysmogram(PPG) parameters - a second derivative parameter and power spectral density ratios - in order to relate PPG parameters with simulation sickness. 36 young, healthy subjects were participated in the experiment, and each subject was equipped with a PPG electrode during his or her immersion. Simulation sickness section was defined as a 7 - second section which starts from the point where a subject reported simulation sickness, and normal section as a same-length section where no physical stimuli was presented to him or her. We compared the PPG parameters of the simulation sickness sections with the normal sections, - d/a ratio is believed to have lower value during vasodilation and higher value during vasoconstriction, however, we could not find much difference in the parameter between normal and simulation sickness sections. We also compared 1 to 10Hz power spectral density ratios in normal sections with in simulation sickness section, and found that 6 density ratios among them have different value. Therefore, the density ratios might be utilized as parameters to detect simulation sickness of subjects.