Practical Framework and Usability Assessment of a Virtual Reality Sensory Booth Laboratory

Traditional sensory booths provide controlled conditions for food evaluation, but physical facilities remain limited by cost, space, and flexibility. This study developed a virtual reality sensory booth laboratory and assessed participant experience and post-session symptoms during a single-session usability study. The application was developed in Unity 2022.3.10f1 for Oculus Quest 2 and included calibration, sensory evaluation, and end-scene modules. A total of 325 participants completed the assessment, including 176 females and 149 males, with a mean age of 24.58 years (SD 3.82). Post-VR experience ratings were favourable, with mean scores ranging from 6.825 for immersion to 8.077 for overall experience with VR, and a composite score of 7.369. The most frequent symptoms were blurred vision (42.15%), eye strain (40.00%), and difficulty focusing (37.85%). Mean Kennedy Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores were 15.558 for nausea, 21.201 for oculomotor discomfort, 30.153 for disorientation, and 24.661 for total SSQ. Principal component analysis indicated shared variation across the five experience ratings; the first three components explained 84.49% of variance. Clustering identified groups with high, moderate, and lower experience ratings. Higher post-VR ratings were consistently associated with lower symptom burden and SSQ scores. The findings support further development of the booth as complementary sensory laboratory infrastructure, with participant familiarisation, calibration, and symptom monitoring. Sensory-product responses and equivalence to conventional booths were not evaluated.