Impact of Network Factors on QoE-sensitive Virtual Reality Environments: An Experimental Analysis Perspective using VR-based Mindfulness

Virtual reality (VR) environments have gained significant attention in therapeutic use cases as a tool for generating controlled and immersive experiences. However, to ensure the effectiveness of the VR application, maintaining a high quality of experience (QoE) is critical. In QoE-sensitive VR environments, even a minor degradation or impairment can significantly impact user presence, engagement, and attention. This study presents an experimental analysis of the influence of network factors on QoE. We conduct the research using a VR-based mindfulness scenario over an 802.11ax network as an example of a QoE-sensitive VR environment, that has been applied to a sample population of 60 individuals. Our results demonstrate that QoE degradation in 2.4 GHz networks is primarily attributed to traffic, while in 5 GHz networks, it is primarily influenced by the signal strength captured by the VR device. These findings, among others, provide valuable insights for guiding the design of VR systems and optimizing network configurations to deliver an enhanced QoE.