While many think the metaverse is the future, a recent study has proven otherwise. As a matter of fact, a research team found out that VR work resulted in more anxiety, an unpleasant working condition, and migraines.
A research team from the Coburg University in Germany released their findings that show quite the opposite of what metaverse advocates believe it to be. While Microsoft and Facebook’s Meta are making huge investments in virtual reality, the workforce isn’t ready yet for the switch.
The widespread use of virtual reality and the immersive virtual world of the metaverse have caused lower productivity and well-being. Also, it increases anxiety while lowering a worker’s comfort and well-being, the study says.
The Research
The study was published in a paper with the title “Quantifying the Effects of Working in VR for One Week.” The research team gathered ten men and 16 women as test subjects. They were asked to work in VR for one week using basic desktop setups. They were made to use the Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets.
The study was set for one week. And the participants were made to work for the whole duration with 45-minute lunch breaks. Several times during the day, they were asked to grade the experience working in VR. They were also asked to compare it with working in a real-world office.
The study used ten statistics, including perceived productivity, well-being, frustration, and anxiety. They were also asked specific VR-related questions, such as if they were feeling sick or if their eyes started hurting. The research team also monitored their heartbeats and typing speeds.
The Results
The results were surprising. They found out that the participants said they felt they had more work to do when working in VR as compared to when they were in a regular office. The 14% drop in self-described productivity was worth noting. Plus, the workers’ “frustration” increased by more than 40% compared to baseline.
All these findings led to the conclusion that there is indeed a decrease in the workers’ mental well-being. And as expected, the participants suffered from an increase in visual fatigue, eye strain, nausea, and migraines. These were the results of spending a considerable amount of time in VR.
Furthermore, two participants had to drop out of the study because of frequent migraines and high levels of disorientation, frustration, and nausea. All this happened on the very first day of the study.
The Research Team’s Conclusion
After finding out that VR work lowers productivity, the research team made it clear that the study is one among the many in a relatively new field. They reiterated that one of the main goals of the research was to provide relevant data that future researchers can build on. They are aiming to help with investigations into this topic in the years to come.
There are also some people who are inclined to believe that the negative results were due to the hardware or software that the research team used. They are pertaining to the Chrome Remote Desktop and the off-the-shelf budget VR headsets, to name a few.
The paper went on to explain that the researchers purposely used average technology, citing their closer relation to what the average desktop users would have. They claim that if the future is that everyone is on the metaverse, it should be open to people of all budgets. It isn’t exclusive to those with budgets for $3,000 PCVR setups.
The research team also proceeded with the conclusion of their study: it helps lay the groundwork for future research and emphasizes the weak points while determining the potential opportunities for the improvement of working in VR. They are hoping that this will encourage further studies and the investigation for longer-term productive work in situ in VR.
