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What the QExE tool is, why it's here, and who it's for...

What?​

The quality of experiece of evaluation (QExE) tool is a framework for streamlining subjective experiments for virtual reality, focusing on audiovisual quality and quality of experience (QoE) methods in interactive virtual environments.

Using MaxMSP and Unity, the QExE tool can be used to automate subjective experiments using several quality evaluation methods and questionnaires, employ a range of audio and visual stimuli possibilities including 360 video, CGI graphics, object-based audio, and Ambisonics, and track subjective exploration behavior and VR interactions for further analysis.

For more information on what the QExE tool is and what it offers, take a look at the following recourses:

Why?​

Virtual reality brings together multiple disciplines, including audio and visual rendering, human computer interaction, multi-modal perception, and cognitive sciences, for example. Designing and configuring virtual realty experiments for subjective evaluations under these domains can require considerable overhead.

The QExE tool aims to alleviate a considerable portion of the experiment setup by providing a framework to consolidate test automation, user interfaces, VR mechanics, and data collection, under one roof. The config file will take care of creating all the test items, importing your chosen method, questionnaire, recording tracking data, etc.

With the QExE tool you're also not fixed into a rigid test design. For users wanting to adapt the current implementation, you can always go under the hood to add new test modules and import your own test method, capture and track different behavioral data, or add in different questionnaires.

Who?​

The QExE tool is for researchers and developers conducing subjective experiments in VR. If you're famliar with perceptual quality experiments or sensory sciences, many of the discussed requirements will sound familiar. Experience and terminology with Unity will also be an advantage for researchers looking to adapt the QExE tool to their needs.

A good place to start is to check the following "I want to" list. If you see yourself in one of these, the QExE tool can help you out.

Hi 👋🏼 I want to ...

  • ✅ ... evaluate audio, visual, or audiovisual quality of one or more VR scene. Subsitute quality, for plausibility, immersion, or presence and you're still on the right track 👍🏽
  • ✅ ... run some pre-tests but not sure about the method, and would like to try some different ones out.
  • ✅ ... give subjects questionnaires either per item, or post-test, in VR without them having to take of the VR headset.
  • ✅ ... collect multi-modal data of subjects interactions and behaviors for further analysis.
  • ✅ ... test different spatial audio rendering VSTs with the same real-time data.
  • ✅ ... conduct research on high-order cognitive contructs in VR such as cognitive load.
  • ✅ ... compare a 360 video scene vs. CGI scene.

For more information, see the QExE feature tiers for more information.

How Can I Download?​

tip

Visit the QExE setup page for information on how to download.

QExE Tool Development​

🏗️ Continued Support​

The QExE tool release is a step towards building a larger framework for evaluating multimedia quality and quality of experience in virtual reality. The current implememtation is a consequence of requirements from previous audiovisual studies in virtual reality. For the future, we aim to build on current the feature set with further methods, questionnaires, interactive implementation, and core 'quality-of-life' functionality.

📨 Invitation to Contribute​

The best way to to improve the tool is to have direct feedback from the community itself. If you wish to contribute, please feel free to get in touch.

Publication​

@article{robotham2024,
title = {title},
author = {Authors},
year = {year},
pages={pages}
}

SDKs / Packages​

List of notable packages and SDKs used inside the Unity scenes. Visit the License page for information on licesnes and third-party notices.

  • HDRP v12.1.14 - Registry @ com.unity.render-pipelines.high-definition

  • Input System v1.7.0 - Registry @ com.unity.inputsystem

  • XR Plugins

  • extOSC v1.2 - git @ iam1337/extOSC