Participant Data Considerations for the Virtual Experience Research Accelerator (VERA)

With generous support from the National Science Foundation I am leading a diverse team of investigators, staff, and volunteers from multiple universities and other organizations in the development of a human-machine system for carrying out human subjects research related to Virtual Reality. The system will enable VR researchers around the world to conduct user studies online, concurrently across a large, carefully curated, diverse, and dedicated standing pool of study participants. We call the infrastructure the Virtual Experience Research Accelerator (VERA). VERA is being developed to overcome three common issues with laboratory-based human subjects research: small sample sizes, narrow sample demographics, and slow sample collection. In contrast VERA will provide large sample sizes, diverse and inclusive samples, and fast turn-around. And yet the VERA paradigm presents some nonobvious challenges related to each remote participant's unique individual circumstances. I will share a bit of the story of VERA, along with the status and plans, and I will discuss some of the nonobvious challenges and ideas for overcoming them. Finally, because part of our mission is to develop a community of affiliated researchers, I will share some plans for community outreach and engagement, and opportunities to get involved.