Now, researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development found that mixed reality, or the inclusion of real-world video footage into a virtual environment or vice versa, can simplify and improve the way this research is conducted.
"Putting participants in these types of environments saves time and money," Masterson said."Being able to conduct research in a way that promotes sustainability and cost effectiveness is key." Small video cameras that are a component of the VR headsets, called pass-through cameras, allow for the inclusion of real objects in the virtual environment, creating a window to the real world. This creates the mixed-reality experience.
Participants in the experiment indicated that the pass-through cameras made the process of eating while wearing a headset much smoother because they saw their real hand and the real food they were consuming within the virtual setting. Long explained that these cameras help to obtain results of eating behavior that mimic observations in the real world.