VREX: an open-source toolbox for creating 3D virtual reality experiments

BMC Psychol. 2017 Feb 14;5(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s40359-017-0173-4.

Abstract

Background: We present VREX, a free open-source Unity toolbox for virtual reality research in the fields of experimental psychology and neuroscience.

Results: Different study protocols about perception, attention, cognition and memory can be constructed using the toolbox. VREX provides a procedural generation of (interconnected) rooms that can be automatically furnished with a click of a button. VREX includes a menu system for creating and storing experiments with different stages. Researchers can combine different rooms and environments to perform end-to-end experiments including different testing situations and data collection. For fine-tuned control VREX also comes with an editor where all the objects in the virtual room can be manually placed and adjusted in the 3D world.

Conclusions: VREX simplifies the generation and setup of complicated VR scenes and experiments for researchers. VREX can be downloaded and easily installed from vrex.mozello.com.

Keywords: Attention; Change blindness; Memory; Spatial perception; Toolbox; Virtual reality.

MeSH terms

  • Attention / physiology*
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Memory / physiology*
  • Neurosciences*
  • Perception / physiology*
  • Psychology*
  • Software
  • Spatial Processing / physiology
  • User-Computer Interface*