Alternative audio solution to enhance immersions in deployable synthetic environments

Abstract

The purpose behind this thesis was to examine the effect of vibro-tactile feedback on a user's degree of immersion in a synthetic environment. Sub-woofers usually provide the vibrotactile feedback in surround sound systems. The alternate method explored in this thesis utilized a "seat shaker" to generate the appropriate tactile feedback in the environment. The solution theoretically enables the user to receive a compelling, multi-modal presentation of the environment with deployable (small footprint), unobtrusive equipment. Physiological responses (electrodermal activity, heart rate, and temperature) were measured in an attempt to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between a user's degree of immersion and emotional response in a 5.2 surround sound environment versus one with stereo headphones and a seat shaker. A computer based first-person shooter game (America's Army: Army Operations SM) was utilized as the synthetic environment. The independent variable was vibration delivery method (headphone with no vibration, 5.2 surround sound, headphones with seat shaker). The dependent variables were physiological response. Results indicated that vibro-tactile feedback did enhance emotional response and therefore immersion. A surround sound system might be effectively replaced by headphones and a seat shaker to achieve the same emotional reaction.