@Article{info:doi/10.2196/40932,
author="Lundstedt, Rikard
and Persson, Johanna
and H{\aa}kansson, Carita
and Frennert, Susanne
and Wallerg{\aa}rd, Mattias",
title="Designing Virtual Natural Environments for Older Adults: Think-Aloud Study",
journal="JMIR Hum Factors",
year="2023",
month="Apr",
day="7",
volume="10",
pages="e40932",
keywords="virtual natural environments; user-centered design; qualitative method; real-time 3D graphics; older adults",
abstract="Background: Spending 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. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify, implement, and test older adults' preferences and ideas regarding virtual natural environments. Methods: A 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. Results: The 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. Conclusions: We 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. ",
issn="2292-9495",
doi="10.2196/40932",
url="https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40932",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/40932",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37027206"
}