Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study
BackgroundSpending time in natural environments is beneficial for human health, but many older adults have limited or no access to natural environments. Virtual reality technology may be a means to facilitate nature experiences, and so, there is a need for knowledge on how to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2023-04-01
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| Series: | JMIR Human Factors |
| Online Access: | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40932 |
| _version_ | 1797734218767269888 |
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| author | Rikard Lundstedt Johanna Persson Carita Håkansson Susanne Frennert Mattias Wallergård |
| author_facet | Rikard Lundstedt Johanna Persson Carita Håkansson Susanne Frennert Mattias Wallergård |
| author_sort | Rikard Lundstedt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundSpending time in natural environments is beneficial for human health, but many older adults have limited or no access to natural environments. Virtual reality technology may be a means to facilitate nature experiences, and so, there is a need for knowledge on how to design virtual restorative natural environments for older adults.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify, implement, and test older adults’ preferences and ideas regarding virtual natural environments.
MethodsA total of 14 older adults (mean age 75, SD 5.9 years) participated in an iterative process to design such an environment. We used think-aloud protocols and qualitative content analysis and established questionnaires that targeted usability, affective aspects, and side effects. These data guided the design decisions for incremental implementations of a prototype.
ResultsThe participants’ preferences included trueness to reality in terms of rendition and behavior; traces of human activity and natural processes that trigger the imagination and provide believability; the ability to roam, explore, and interact with the environment; and a familiar, relatable environment that evokes memories. The iterative design process resulted in a prototype featuring many of the participants’ ideas and preferences, including a seated locomotion technique, animals, a boat ride, the discovery of a boat wreck, and apple picking. The questionnaire results indicated high perceived usability, interest, and enjoyment; low pressure and tension; moderate value and usefulness; and negligible side effects.
ConclusionsWe suggested 3 principles for virtual natural environments for older adults: realness, interactivity, and relatedness. Virtual natural environments should also provide a diversity of content and activities to accommodate the heterogeneity in older adults’ preferences. These results can contribute to a framework for designing virtual natural environments for older adults. However, these findings need to be tested and potentially revised in future studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21868db405bd42e9a0aa87545c046ed0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2292-9495 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Human Factors |
| spelling | doaj.art-21868db405bd42e9a0aa87545c046ed02023-08-28T23:51:45ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952023-04-0110e4093210.2196/40932Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud StudyRikard Lundstedthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9393-538XJohanna Perssonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6322-0113Carita Håkanssonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3660-3079Susanne Frennerthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9522-5469Mattias Wallergårdhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8666-7508 BackgroundSpending time in natural environments is beneficial for human health, but many older adults have limited or no access to natural environments. Virtual reality technology may be a means to facilitate nature experiences, and so, there is a need for knowledge on how to design virtual restorative natural environments for older adults. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify, implement, and test older adults’ preferences and ideas regarding virtual natural environments. MethodsA total of 14 older adults (mean age 75, SD 5.9 years) participated in an iterative process to design such an environment. We used think-aloud protocols and qualitative content analysis and established questionnaires that targeted usability, affective aspects, and side effects. These data guided the design decisions for incremental implementations of a prototype. ResultsThe participants’ preferences included trueness to reality in terms of rendition and behavior; traces of human activity and natural processes that trigger the imagination and provide believability; the ability to roam, explore, and interact with the environment; and a familiar, relatable environment that evokes memories. The iterative design process resulted in a prototype featuring many of the participants’ ideas and preferences, including a seated locomotion technique, animals, a boat ride, the discovery of a boat wreck, and apple picking. The questionnaire results indicated high perceived usability, interest, and enjoyment; low pressure and tension; moderate value and usefulness; and negligible side effects. ConclusionsWe suggested 3 principles for virtual natural environments for older adults: realness, interactivity, and relatedness. Virtual natural environments should also provide a diversity of content and activities to accommodate the heterogeneity in older adults’ preferences. These results can contribute to a framework for designing virtual natural environments for older adults. However, these findings need to be tested and potentially revised in future studies.https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40932 |
| spellingShingle | Rikard Lundstedt Johanna Persson Carita Håkansson Susanne Frennert Mattias Wallergård Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study JMIR Human Factors |
| title | Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study |
| title_full | Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study |
| title_fullStr | Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study |
| title_short | Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study |
| title_sort | designing virtual natural environments for older adults think aloud study |
| url | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40932 |
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