Emotional maps: neuro architecture and design applications

Abstract

[EN] Neurophysiological measurements have increased in Design and Architecture to emotionally assess products. Objective understanding of emotion states brings an enormous opportunity to explain how environments aspects affects persons. New methodology must be developed for a successfully approach between Neuroscience and design areas, in order to build this recent synergy. This paper contribute to profound concept of Emotional Maps (EM), which is a challenge for two reasons: the characterization of emotional states and the uncertain relation with maps illustrations. In order to create an EM, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was used to detect certain emotional states and Virtual Reality (VR) to generate an environment condition. The study was conducted by VR environment displayed in Head-mounted Display Oculus DK2. Twelve persons participated in data acquisition by two tools: during environment exploration, a portable physiological device (Empatica E4) recorded HRV signal; and at the end of study, a Likert scale questionnaire collected emotional impressions. HRV signal was analyze in time-frequency to detect activation or relax levels. The statistics results prove that design guidelines used in environments evoked the stressful state sought, and that the physiological measure used are appropriate to be represented. The final result shows the possibility to mapping emotional states. This novel technique allows to quantify objectively a subjective experience and locate in specific place when occurs. Our technique supposes a contribution toward emotional states measurements applied to design and architecture.