Evaluation Method of Walkable Street Spaces Using Biometric Data through HMD Devices

Abstract

This study examines alternative methods for evaluating walkable street spaces, which play a key role in contemporary urban development. Traditional surveys and interviews often suffer from inefficiency and limited accuracy due to reliance on subjective responses. To address these issues, the research explores biometric data such as heart rate variability and pupillary response as objective indicators of stress experienced within urban environments. These physiological measures capture subtle, real-time reactions that conventional methods may overlook. In addition, the study employs immersive visualization through both 2D monitors and head-mounted displays (HMDs) to replicate realistic street spaces in three dimensions. These tools allow participants to evaluate spatial qualities under near real- world conditions. By comparing biometric and immersive approaches with established survey-based techniques, the study seeks to verify their applicability and advantages, ultimately contributing to the development of a more reliable framework for assessing the effectiveness of walkable street improvements.