Evaluation of Autonomic Nervous Activity Following Movement Imitation in a Virtual Reality Environment Using Electrocardiography and Finger Photoplethysmography Analysis

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of movement imitation in a virtual reality (VR) environment on autonomic nervous activity among healthy participants through electrocardiography and finger photoplethysmography. We compared autonomic nervous system activity under two conditions: movement imitation and movement execution. For movement imitation, participants used a head mounted display (HMD) or tablet display (TD), while for movement execution, they referred to text. The results showed that movement imitation via an HMD significantly decreased pulse wavelength, suggesting increased cardiac sympathetic nerve activity compared to movement execution with text (TXT). These findings suggest that movement imitation in a VR environment may benefit rehabilitation settings.