Feasibility of Mapping Brain Activity to the Levels of Task Complexity  within Environments of Virtual Reality

Perez Vite, Yobbahim Javier Israel

Feasibility of Mapping Brain Activity to the Levels of Task Complexity within Environments of Virtual Reality

dc.contributor.advisor	Hu, Yaoping
dc.contributor.author	Perez Vite, Yobbahim Javier Israel
dc.contributor.committeemember	Fear, Elise
dc.contributor.committeemember	Tan, Benjamin
dc.date	2024-02
dc.date.accessioned	2023-09-22T14:34:36Z
dc.date.available	2023-09-22T14:34:36Z
dc.date.issued	2023-09-21
dc.description.abstract	Mapping brain activity to certain levels of task complexity is essential for creating environments of Virtual Reality (VR), which could adapt to the mental states of human users. To investigate the feasibility of such mapping, the research work of this thesis took an approach of two steps. At first, the levels of task complexity were defined according to the geometric and appearance parameters of objects that the users interacted with for executing a task. By associating the parameters to the execution of the task, this step remedied qualitative descriptions of the levels in current state-of-the-art. Secondly, an empirical study of two experiments was conducted within a VR to collect brain activities (as brainwaves) of human participants (i.e., users) during the execution involving various task complexity. Using a device of encephalography (EEG) to collect the brainwaves, this step assessed several existing features derived from the brainwaves as potential indicators of feasibility. This thesis produced two significant findings: (1) the definition of task complexity is quantitative and could be suitable for describing object-oriented tasks, and (2) specific EEG features – such as engagement ratio – could indicate increased or decreased levels of task complexity. Hence, the work indicates the feasibility of mapping brain activity to the levels of task complexity. Future investigations are needed to refine the definition, and EEG features for optimizing cognitive engagement and performance by modulating the levels of task complexity. The outcomes of the investigations could have implications for training, simulation, and user experience in various VR-based applications.
dc.identifier.citation	Perez Vite, Y. J. I. (2023). Feasibility of mapping brain activity to the levels of task complexity within environments of Virtual Reality (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117191
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Schulich School of Engineering
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	EEG
dc.subject	Task complexity
dc.subject	Engagement Ratio
dc.subject	Activity Ratio
dc.subject	Attention Ratio
dc.subject	VR environments
dc.subject.classification	Computer Science
dc.subject.classification	Neuroscience
dc.title	Feasibility of Mapping Brain Activity to the Levels of Task Complexity within Environments of Virtual Reality
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Engineering – Electrical & Computer
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.