The Effect of Gender differences on Obstacle Crossing Movements in Virtual Reality Environment

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely applied in gait and obstacle crossing training. However, there are differences between males and females in terms of

immersion, emotional responses, and physiological reactions to the VR environment. This gender difference may further influence the movement strategies during obstacle crossing. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand the impact of gender differences on obstacle crossing strategies in VR environment.

Methods: In this study, we constructed a VR environment with dimensions consistent with those of the real world. Seven males and seven females crossed obstacles of different heights (10cm, 20 cm, 30 cm) in the VR environment. The crossing movement was captured using motion capture cameras, and then obstacle crossing characteristics, including toe clearance, foot-obstacle

distance and peak vertical distance, were calculated.

Conclusion: Preliminary analysis suggests that females adopt more conservative obstacle avoidance strategies compared to males.