Virtual Reality Experiments for the Design of Novel Infrastructures

For research in cognitive science and architecture, virtual reality provides an efficient way of developing and testing different design options to fulfill particular objectives. For example, informative signage may be needed for people to find their platform in a transportation hub, and an intelligible system of rooms may be needed to facilitate the flow of traffic through a museum. As part of this project, we create virtual environments with simple design variations (e.g., the addition of a directional sign or doorway) and evaluate the impact of these variations on the behavior of groups of real participants. Our prediction of the movement of large groups through these infrastructures also requires an understanding of the interaction between different social contexts (e.g., competition or collaboration) and individuals’ spatial decision-making.