The photoplethysmogram-based Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) demonstrated usability for assessing game players' mental workload in real time compared to other PPG-derived indexes.
Does the PPG-based Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) accurately assess cognitive load in game players?
The PPG-based Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) shows potential for real-time assessment of mental workload during gaming.
Accurate evaluation for user experience during computer game playing is very important in optimizing game design to improve the gaming experience. When evaluating user experiences, the concept of cognitive load is crucial for dynamically responding to game players’ mental status. In our former studies, the photoplethysmogram (PPG)-based Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) shows better sensitivity and reliability in measuring cognitive loads compared with heart-rate variation, blood pressure, and galvanic skin response. In this study, we use memory matrixes and Pop Cap’s tower defense game Plants vs. Zombies as cognitive tasks and use sVRI to assess players’ cognitive load dynamically during the real-time computer games. Evaluations on cognitive tasks verified the usability of sVRI in comparison with other indexes derived from PPG, such as heartbeat interval, area under curve, digital pulse amplitude, reflection index, and inflection point area ratio. Our findings indicate the potential of sVRI for assessing game players’ mental workload in real time.
Zhang et al. (Wed,) conducted a other in Cognitive load during game playing. Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) vs. Other PPG-derived indexes was evaluated on Usability for assessing mental workload in real time. The photoplethysmogram-based Stress-Induced Vascular Response Index (sVRI) demonstrated usability for assessing game players' mental workload in real time compared to other PPG-derived indexes.