Development and evaluation of a virtual reality puzzle game to decrease food intake (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunxin Liu ◽  
Angelos Stamos ◽  
Siegfried Dewitte ◽  
Zeph M. C. van Berlo ◽  
Laura N. van der Laan
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Reduce Food Intake ◽  
Food Cues ◽  
Food Cravings ◽  
Exposure Effect ◽  
The One ◽  
Desire To Eat ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Virtual Reality (VR) has gained popularity in daily life and VR food cues seem to elicit food cravings as similar to real food cues. However, little is known about the impact of VR food cues on actual food intake. OBJECTIVE In Real-Life (RL), exposure to food cues in a situation where the desire to eat food interferes with the completion of a food-related task reduces the subsequent food intake (i.e., the pre-exposure effect). In this study, we examine on the one hand whether the pre-exposure effect could be replicated in RL and on the other hand whether this effect could be extended to VR contexts. METHODS The current research employed a 2 (Stimulus Type: Food vs. Nonfood) × 2 (Mode: VR vs. RL) between-subject design (n = 175). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. RESULTS We found the main effect of mode on food intake with a higher food intake after both VR conditions than after RL conditions (p = .020). Also, among female participants, we found that exposure to both food cues (i.e., VR and RL) resulted in lower food intake than exposure to both nonfood cues (p = .048). In contrast, this effect was not observed among male participants (p = .336). Additionally, VR and RL cues generated similar emotional and behavioral responses (e.g., arousal and game difficulty). CONCLUSIONS We were unable to replicate the exposure effect in our complete sample. Sub-group analyses, however, showed that for women exposure to food cues (either in VR or RL) did reduce food intake, indicating that a VR pre-exposure procedure may effectively be applied exclusively for women.

scholarly journals Acute Effects of Protein Source on Appetite and Subsequent Food Intake in Healthy Adults (P08-066-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jess Gwin ◽  
Heather Leidy
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Soy Protein Isolate ◽  
Protein Isolate ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Blood Sampling ◽  
Protein Source ◽  
Reduce Food Intake ◽  
Acute Effects ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Desire To Eat

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of consuming isocaloric, higher-protein breakfast shakes varying in protein source on appetite, satiety, and subsequent breakfast and lunch food intake in healthy adults. Methods Thirty-two adults (Age: 25 ± 1y; BMI: 24.2 ± 0.5 kg/m2) randomly consumed 250 kcal higher-protein breakfast shakes (24 g total protein; 17 g CHO; 9 g fat), varying only in protein source (whey protein isolate, WHEY; soy protein isolate, SOY; Micellar Casein, CAS; pea protein isolate, PEA; and milk protein isolate; MILK) for 3 days/shake. On day 4, the participants completed a 4-h testing day that included the consumption of the respective shake followed by blood sampling and questionnaires taken every 30 min to assess appetite and satiety. At the end of the testing day, an ad libitum lunch was provided. In addition, we sought to assess whether the study shakes consumed as breakfast preloads reduce food intake within the breakfast eating occasion. Thus, on day 5, the respective shake was consumed 30 min before an ad libitum breakfast. Results Postprandial differences in morning fullness and desire to eat were detected between protein shakes. Specifically, MILK led to greater 4-h fullness vs. WHEY, SOY, and PEA (all, P < 0.05) but not vs. CAS. CAS led to greater fullness vs. SOY (P < 0.05). In addition, MILK, CAS, and PEA led to greater decreases in 4-h desire to eat vs. SOY (all, P < 0.05). No differences in hunger, prospective food consumption, or food cravings were detected. At the subsequent lunch meal, the participants consumed on average 750 ± 70 kcal with no differences observed between shakes. Lastly, regardless of the protein source within the preloads, the participants consumed an additional +280 ± 50 kcal from other breakfast foods. Blood sampling analyses of metabolic analytes and appetite hormones are on-going. Conclusions Although protein source differences within isocaloric, higher-protein breakfast shakes influenced appetite responses throughout the morning, subsequent breakfast and lunch intake was not modified. Funding Sources Leprino Foods.

scholarly journals The Development of Virtual Reality as a Tool to Investigate Eating Behavior

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1308-1308
Author(s):  
James Hollis ◽  
James Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Sensory Evaluation ◽  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Physiological Data ◽  
White Background ◽  
Test Food ◽  
Head Mounted Display

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to a) determine the feasibility of eating in virtual reality (VR) environment while wearing a head mounted display (HMD) and b) determine the effect of eating in a virtual restaurant on food intake, sensory evaluation of the test food and masticatory parameters. Methods Fifteen adults were asked to report to the laboratory on two occasions, separated by at least one week, at their usual lunchtime. On reporting to the laboratory, surface electrodes were attached to the left and right masseter muscles to measure masticatory activity and a wristband placed on the non-dominant wrist to collect physiological data. The participant sat quietly for 5 minutes before a VR (HMD) was placed on their head. The HMD displayed either a virtual restaurant (pizzeria) or a blank scene (consisting of a white background and a table). The participant's hand movements were captured using an infrared camera mounted on the HMD so when the participant moved their hands this was represented by computer generated model hands in the VR scene. The test foods (pizza bites) were represented in VR using a 3D model of pizza bites. The test foods were arranged so that when the participant touched the test food model in the VR scene they touched the test food in real life allowing them to locate and pick up the test food. The participant was instructed to eat the test food until they felt comfortably full.  When the participant finished eating the equipment was removed and they completed questionnaires regarding their feelings of presence and experiences in the VR environment and their ratings of the test food attributes. Results Participants were able to successfully locate and eat the pizza rolls while in the VR environment. The participants feeling of presence was higher in the restaurant scene compared to the blank scene (P &lt; 0.05). Heart rate and skin temperature were higher in the restaurant scene (P &lt; 0.05). Differences in masticatory parameters were found with participants using fewer masticatory cycles before swallowing in the restaurant scene (P &lt; 0.05). There were no differences between scenes regarding the sensory evaluation of the test foods. There was no difference in food intake between the treatments. Conclusions Eating in VR is feasible and may provide a new method to understand eating behavior in different contexts. Funding Sources None.

scholarly journals BIM-Enabled Virtual Reality Technology in Construction Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (08) ◽  
pp. 31-38
Author(s):  
Siddharth Jain ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Smart Environment ◽  
Virtual Reality Technology ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Impact

Construction 4.0 (a concept of Industry 4.0) is an ongoing transformation that aims at digitalization and automation of traditional construction and industrial practices using modern smart technology. The technological development especially of the construction sector is of utmost importance to meet the requirements of rapid construction projects aiming at quality work, increased productivity, and cost savings. One such technology that has come to the limelight is Virtual Reality (VR), which is a computer-generated smart environment that is artificially created using various types of hardware and software. This smart environment is created to resemble a real-life structure that can be explored, visualized, and interacted with by users using electronic devices for better decisionmaking before actual construction. The purpose of this paper is to design a Virtual Reality model using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and to examine the impact and influence of Virtual Reality Technology in the Indian construction industry with the help of a questionnaire survey. This study provides necessary information for implementing Virtual Reality technology in the construction industry. The results of this study provide a research road map to researchers for their future efforts.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of interactive virtual reality for furniture, fixture and equipment design communication: an empirical study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhinesh Prabhakaran ◽  
Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu ◽  
Lamine Mahdjoubi ◽  
Patrick Manu ◽  
Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Furniture Design ◽  
Design Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Design Selection ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Planning Concepts ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study aims to propose a novel approach to developing an interactive and immersive virtual environment for design communication in the furniture, fixture and equipment (FFE) sector. The study further investigates its effectiveness in enhancing the design communication and coordination between the stakeholder.Design/methodology/approachQuasi-experimental research was adopted involving 12 FFE professionals, designers and end-users in single-group pre-test-post-test design. The tests were performed primarily to ascertain the impact of the application of interactive virtual reality on delivering furniture design selection and coordination tasks. Further interviews were used to elicit participants' views on the functionality and usefulness of the proposed approach.FindingsThe findings indicate that an interactive immersive virtual FFE environment: enhances the productivity of the design team through a collaborative virtual workspace offering a synchronised networked design testing and review platform; reduces the time required for the stakeholders to comprehend the design options and test those; enhances the design communication and quality of the design and encourages the collaborative culture in the industry; improves the design satisfaction of the stakeholders; and finally, requires significantly less time for design decision-making when compared to traditional methods.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies should incorporate space planning concepts and explore non-experimental methodologies in a real-life FFE project setup.Practical implicationsThe proposed approach provides opportunities for enhanced interpretation of design intent in FFE as well as efficiency in design selection and coordination tasks when compared with conventional two-dimensional methods of communication.Originality/valueThis study proposes a step change in the way furniture design is communicated and coordinated through an immersive virtual experience. Previous studies have not addressed the issue of impact on design coordination instead focussed on marketing and sales.

scholarly journals Joining two worlds - When academia meets real life and vice versa

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Ese ◽  
C Ihlebak
Keyword(s):  
Academic Freedom ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
The One ◽  
Innovation Clusters ◽  
Holding Back ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Partnerships between academic institutions and actors outside of academia have for some time been considered a universal remedy for solving complex issues in a wide range of fields; ranging from themes as different as commercial developments in innovation clusters to reducing social inequalities or working against climate change. Such partnerships are strongly encouraged by governing bodies, and are sometimes prerequisites for being eligible as applicants for funding schemes like H2020. A proof of the impact this model of cooperation has had, is the fact that partnership is the only organisational structure that has been elevated to be part of the UN17 goals for sustainable development. Throughout history, academia has had a complex relationship with the society to which it belongs. On the one hand, academia depends on being seen as valuable, often through visible and concrete impact on society. On the other hand, within academia there is a strong norm of academic freedom stating that such freedom is best accommodated for through a certain degree of insulation between academia and society. This way of understanding academic freedom is an important cornerstone of the Humboltian university ideals as well as in the Mertonian CUDOS norms. Practice and policy actors may also find partnerships with academia complex to navigate. However, such partnerships can be valuable through ensuring that policies and developments are based on research findings and best practices. Furthermore, academics may educate and train practitioners, and evaluate and do research on their initiatives. However, partnerships can also be challenging for practitioners, as academics have to follow strict principles for research design and have little room for holding back results that may put the practitioners in a bad light. In this presentation the complex relationships between academia and practice are presented, both by examining advantages and by taking a critical stance.

scholarly journals Assessing the emotional impact of virtual reality-based teacher training

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 192-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalliopi Evangelia Stavroulia ◽  
Maria Christofi ◽  
Evangelia Baka ◽  
Despina Michael-Grigoriou ◽  
Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Mood States ◽  
Stressful Situation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose the use of a virtual reality (VR)-based approach to improve teacher education and life-long professional development. Through constant training in real-life based situations but within a safe three-dimensional virtual school environment, teachers are given the opportunity to experience and learn how to react to different types of incidents that may take place in a school environment. Design/methodology/approach The current paper presents the design cycle that was followed for the implementation of the VR teacher training system. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated with a case study that aimed to promote teachers’ understanding of student’s problematic situations related to substance use. As part of the experimental investigation, the impact of the VR system on participants’ emotions and mood states is evaluated through Electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements, heart rate (HR) recordings and self-reported data. Findings Results indicate significant changes to participant’s negative emotional and mood states, suggesting that the scenario and the VR experience had a strong impact on them. Moreover, participants’ HR was increased during the experiment, while the analysis of the EEG signal indicated that the participants experienced a stressful situation that could justify the change in their negative emotions and mood states. Originality/value The proposed VR-based approach aims to provide an innovative framework to teacher education and the related training methodology. In the long-term, the proposed VR system aims to form a new paradigm of teacher training, an alternative safe method that will allow user-teachers to learn through trial and error techniques that reflect real-life situations within a three-dimensional school space and without the risk of harming real students. To the best of our knowledge this is one of the first systematic attempts to use a VR-based methodology to address real teachers’ needs. The development of the VR application is linked to both strong theoretical foundations in education derived from the literature but also from real teachers’ problems and requirements derived from an extensive literature analysis, survey and interviews with experts including teachers, school counselors and psychologists. The VR tool addresses specific teachers’ competences as outcome, after an extensive documentation of existing Teachers’ Competence Models and significant guidance by experts who pointed specific competencies of primary importance to teachers.

scholarly journals Using Virtual Reality to Stimulate Healthy and Environmentally Friendly Food Consumption among Children: An Interview Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1088
Author(s):  
Eline Suzanne Smit ◽  
Marijn Hendrika Catharina Meijers ◽  
Laura Nynke van der Laan
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Interview Study ◽  
Only Children ◽  
Emotional Processes ◽  
Children’S Expectations ◽  
The Impact

Since habits formed during childhood are predictive of adult behaviour, children form an important target group when it comes to improving healthy and environmentally friendly food consumption. To explore the potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) in this respect, we conducted a semi-structured interview study (N = 22) among children aged 6–13 years. This study consisted of two parts: (1) a VR experience and (2) a semi-structured interview to investigate (1) to what extent children are able to recall and understand information about the impact of food products on their health and the environment when provided to them as pop-ups in a VR supermarket; (2) what rational and emotional processes are triggered by this information; and (3) what children’s expectations about the real-life application and impact of the pop-ups are, and why. Interview data were analysed using the framework method. Results showed that although all participants were able to recall the information, only children from an average age of ten years old also understood the information. When participants understood the information, they were often aware of and felt sorry for their negative behavioural impact. Most participants expected their behaviour to positively change when imagining real-life application of the pop-ups.

scholarly journals Hot, Tired and Hungry: The Snacking Behaviour and Food Cravings of Firefighters during Multi-Day Simulated Wildfire Suppression

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1160
Author(s):  
Charlotte C. Gupta ◽  
Sally A. Ferguson ◽  
Brad Aisbett ◽  
Michelle Dominiak ◽  
Stephanie E. Chappel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Sleep Restriction ◽  
Food Cravings ◽  
Rest Periods ◽  
Wildfire Suppression ◽  
Secondary Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Firefighters are exposed to numerous stressors during wildfire suppression, including working in hot temperatures and sleep restricted conditions. Research has shown that when sleep restricted, individuals choose foods higher in carbohydrates, fat, and sugar, and have increased cravings for calorie dense foods. However, there is currently no research on the combined effect of heat and sleep restriction on snacking behaviour. Conducting secondary analyses from a larger study, the current study aimed to investigate the impact of heat and sleep restriction on snacking behaviour and food cravings. Sixty-six firefighters completed three days of simulated physically demanding firefighting work and were randomly allocated to either the control (n = 18, CON; 19 °C, 8 h sleep opportunity), sleep restricted (n = 16, SR; 19 °C, 4-h sleep opportunity), hot (n = 18, HOT; 33 °C, 8 h sleep opportunity), or hot and sleep restricted (n = 14 HOT + SR; 33 °C, 4-h sleep opportunity) condition. During rest periods firefighters were able to self-select sweet, savoury, or healthy snacks from a ration pack and were asked to rate their hunger, fullness, and cravings every two hours (eating block). Mixed model analyses revealed no difference in total energy intake between conditions, however there was a significant interaction between eating block and condition, with those in the CON, HOT, and HOT + SR condition consuming significantly more energy between 1230 and 1430 compared to the SR condition (p = 0.002). Sleep restriction and heat did not impact feelings of hunger and fullness across the day, and did not lead to greater cravings for snacks, with no differences between conditions. These findings suggest that under various simulated firefighting conditions, it is not the amount of food that differs but the timing of food intake, with those that are required to work in hot conditions while sleep restricted more likely to consume food between 1230 and 1430. This has potential implications for the time of day in which a greater amount of food should be available for firefighters.

scholarly journals Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality as a Tool to Improve Cognitive and Social Abilities in Preschool Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2948
Author(s):  
Maria Luisa Lorusso ◽  
Simona Travellini ◽  
Marisa Giorgetti ◽  
Paola Negrini ◽  
Gianluigi Reni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Team Collaboration ◽  
Educational Framework ◽  
Social Abilities ◽  
Strategic Behaviors ◽  
Activity Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Educational Field

Virtual reality (VR) creates computer-generated virtual environments where users can experience and interact in a similar way as they would do in real life. VR systems are increasingly being used for rehabilitation goals, mainly with adults, but also with children, extending their application to the educational field. This report concerns a study of the impact of a semi-immersive VR system in a group of 25 children in a kindergarten context. The children were involved in several different games and activity types, specifically developed with the aim of learning specific skills and foster team collaboration. Their reactions and behaviors were recorded by their teachers and by trained psychologists through observation grids addressing task comprehension, participation and enjoyment, interaction and cooperation, conflict, strategic behaviors, and adult-directed questions concerning the activity, the device or general help requests. The grids were compiled at the initial, intermediate and final timepoint during each session. The results show that the activities are easy to understand, enjoyable, and stimulate strategic behaviors, interaction and cooperation, while they do not elicit the need for many explanations. These results are discussed within a neuroconstructivist educational framework and the suitability of semi-immersive, virtual-reality-based activities for cognitive empowerment and rehabilitation purposes is discussed.

Distraction, restrained eating and disinhibition: An experimental study of food intake and the impact of ‘eating on the go’

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Ogden ◽  
Eirini Oikonomou ◽  
Georgina Alemany
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Restrained Eating ◽  
Restrained Eaters ◽  
Watching Tv ◽  
Desire To Eat ◽  
The Impact

To assess the impact of distraction on subsequent eating, 60 females consumed a cereal bar while watching TV, walking or talking, and their subsequent desire to eat and food intake were assessed. No effects were found for desire to eat. But while those higher in restrained eating consumed less overall and fewer calories after watching TV or talking, they consumed more overall and more calories (specifically five times more chocolate) if the cereal bar was eaten while walking. ‘Eating on the go’ may disinhibit restrained eaters either as a form of distraction or by offering a justification to overeat.

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