Thank you for your interest in joining our study! Each person can only participate once. Before proceeding, please read carefully the information sheet, paying special attention to the "Inclusion/Exclusion criteria" below.
Participant Information Sheet
NaviNord Research Study: A Multisensory Virtual Reality (VR) Experience for Forest Exploration
You are invited to voluntarily participate in a study where you will navigate a complex virtual environment resembling a Nordic forest using a virtual reality (VR) headset. Along your exploration, different modalities and senses will be engaged, particularly when encountering landmarks placed along the forest paths. After reading this information sheet, you can ask any questions regarding this study. Then you can decide whether you want to participate or not. If you choose to participate, you will be separately requested to provide your consent for during the laboratory visit. The study has received approval from the Tampere ethics committee.
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria: This study involves visual, audio, and scent materials, as well as intense walking while in VR. Therefore there are certain restrictions in participating. Please ensure you have normal, or corrected to normal, vision and hearing (e.g., hearing aids, contact lenses-not glasses), as well as normal smelling ability. It is mandatory that you do not participate in the study if you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection or feel sick.
1) You can only participate once in this study. 2) Do not participate in this study if your height is not between 150cm-200cm, nor if your weight is more than 120kg. You must be over 18 years old, and under 55 years old. 3) Do not participate if you have asthma, allergies, or sensitivity to smells. 4) Do not participate if you are prone to motion sickness, dizziness, or seizures. 5) Do not participate if you have impaired motor functions, overall mobility or balance difficulties. 6) Do not participate in this study if you are pregnant, in post-operative recovery, 7) nor if for any reason your physical condition does not allow/encourage you to conduct moderate physical activity. Do not hide it if you meet any of the above criteria, or if you believe you have a condition that could exclude you from participating, as this may put your safety at risk (e.g., falling injuries, allergic reactions, etc.).
If you have any questions, concerns, or are unsure about your eligibility to participate, please contact Elpida Bampouni (elpida.bampouni@tuni.fi).
Research purpose: This study aims to investigate how locomotion and multisensory feedback influence our experience while interacting with immersive virtual reality environments.
Procedure: During the study, your task is to navigate a multisensory VR forest environment, demonstrating various items that can be found in a forest. During and after your VR interaction, we will be collecting information about your interactions in the virtual environment. You will also be asked to self-report about your experiences and perception of the VR environment, your interactions, and the devices you used, by completing questionnaires and tasks. Your participation is voluntary, and you can take a break, or completely seize your participation at any point and for any reason. The interruption will not harm you or the investigation. Participation in this study is estimated at 2 hours, and we have several breaks planned.
Potential benefits/risks: In the study, you will get acquainted with the conduct of scientific research, and you will receive first-hand experience with novel digital technologies. Your participation will contribute to the increase of scientific knowledge. As appreciation for your participation, you will also receive compensation in the form of a gift card for S-Market up to 20 euros. Receiving compensation is considered a taxable income, and you are entitled to receiving compensation even if you suspend your participation.
We take precautions to ensure your safety, and identify no significant risks associated with participating in this study. As this study involves several modalities, such as smell and intense walking, please ensure you have read and meet the Inclusion/Exclusion criteria mentioned above.
Data and reporting: All data collected in this study, including your responses to the experimental tasks and questionnaires, as well as personal data, will be solely used for scientific purposes. Your data will be given a pseudonym and treated with confidentiality, as indicated by the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and as required by Finnish data protection law. The research results will be analysed at a group level, so it will not be possible to identify any one individual. Identifiable information will be destroyed by the end of 2026. The anonymized research data will remain at the disposal of Tampere University for research purposes. More information regarding the privacy notice can be found here: PrivacyNotice.pdf The findings of the current study are aimed to be published in suitable scientific venues.
Withdrawing consent and compensation: Your participation is voluntary, and you can take a break or completely seize your participation at any point and for any reason. If you choose to withdraw your consent in participating in this study, some data may remain as part of our database. Receiving compensation necessitates the storage of certain personal information for taxation purposes (e.g., name, personal identity code, email, etc.). This information needs to be shared with the HR of Tampere University and will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary. This personal information will be separately collected and will not be linked with any research data we collect. If you do not wish to provide this information, we are not permitted to provide compensation. Other data collected up to the point of withdrawing consent, including research measures (e.g., questionnaires) and demographic information (e.g., gender, age), will be anonymised and may still be used in analyses. In case you wish your anonymized data to be completely excluded from any analyses, please inform the researcher to delete all your data.
Organization/Funding: This research is carried out by Tampere University and is funded by Ella& Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation and UNITE Flagship Academy of Finland.
Contact Information
For any questions, concerns, or cancelling booked appointments please contact:
Elpida Bampouni, Doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Gamification Group
Adress: Pinni B, room B 0011, 33014 Tampere University
Email: elpida.bampouni@tuni.fi
Telephone: 0504737360
Principal Investigator
Professor Juho Hamari, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Gamification Group, Kanslerinrinne 1, 33014 Tampere University, Email: juho.hamari@tuni.fi
