The Evaluation of User Experience and Functional Workload of a Physically Inter- active Virtual Reality System

In this study, we evaluated the user experience of a physically interactive virtual reality (VR) system, which was developed to provide passive kinesthetic haptics in order to enhance motor learning functions during an occupational virtual training. We compared the user experience (e.g., perceived ease-of-use, ease-of-learning, and usefulness) and the functional workload between real and virtual environments by simulating a pick-and-place lifting task in both environments. Results showed an increase in user experience— such as ease of use and learning and usefulness—and a decrease in the overall functional workload with the progression of successive VR tasks.