Nat(UR)e: Quantifying the Relaxation Potential of Ultra-Reality Multisensory Nature Walk Experiences
Marilia K. S. Lopes, Belmir J. de Jesus, Marc-Antoine Moinnereau, Reza Amini Gougeh, Olivier Rosanne, Walter Schubert, Alcyr Alves de Oliveira, Tiago H. Falk
Abstract
Stress and anxiety are increasingly present in society, contributing to many chronic diseases and decreasing quality of life. Non-pharmacological therapies to relieve these symptoms and promote relaxation have been developed, including immersing oneself in nature (so-called ‘forest bathing’). Access to nature, however, is not available to many around the world, due to mobility issues, increasing urban spaces, or pollution, to name a few factors. As such, the use of virtual reality tools or digital nature walks have emerged as a possible alternative that can be done at the comfort of one’s home. While promising results have been reported, existing solutions are not completely immersive as they only stimulate the hearing and vision senses. Here, we propose a multisensory (ultra-reality) immersive experience termed Nat(UR)e, where in addition to audio-visual stimuli, users are also exposed to nature smells and somatosensory stimuli, including wind, heat and vibrations. An experiment was conducted on 16 participants that experienced virtual nature under two conditions: audio-visual only and ultra-sensory. Wearable devices were used to track changes in the participants physiological states. Significant changes in relaxation were achieved with the proposed system and changes in physiological parameters were also observed, suggesting the potential of the Nat(UR)e framework for stress and anxiety treatment.