Role-Specific Physiological Responses and Quality of Experience in Collaborative Virtual Reality Tasks: A Comparative Study of Leaders and Followers

The emergence of Collaborative Virtual Reality (CVR) technology has transformed team-based interactions across diverse fields, offering immersive and interactive environments that enhance collaborative efforts. However, a critical gap remains in understanding the Quality of Experience (QoE) from a task role-specific perspective within these environments. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the QoE differences between leaders and followers in CVR settings, using both subjective assessments and objective physiological measures. The research employs advanced biosensors, including eye-tracking and physiological responses, to examine how distinct roles influence cognitive load, emotional states, and overall user satisfaction. Participants engaged in a collaborative 'pick and place' task within a VR environment, with data collected on electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate (HR), blood volume pulse (BVP), inter-beat interval (IBI), skin temperature, and pupil dilation (PD). The NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) was also used to measure perceived workload. Findings reveal significant differences in physiological responses between leaders and followers, with leaders experiencing higher cognitive and temporal demands. The results suggest that role-specific QoE evaluations can inform the design of more equitable and effective CVR systems, enhancing user satisfaction and collaboration outcomes. This study advances the field by integrating multimodal data acquisition and providing insights into CVR environments for diverse collaborative roles.