Neuro-response evaluated stimulus in virtual reality environments

• US 8,392,250 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran, Ratnakar, Dev
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US12/853,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.41, 600/544, 600/545, 345/633
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/246 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization

Abstract

A system presents stimulus materials such as products, product packages, displays, services, offerings, etc., in virtual reality environments such as market aisles, store shelves, showroom floors, etc. Sensory experiences output to the user via the virtual reality environment elicit user interactivity. User activity and responses are used to modify marketing materials and/or virtual reality environments. Neuro-response data including electroencephalography (EEG) data is collected from users in order to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing materials in virtual reality environments. In particular examples, neuro-response data is used to modify marketing materials and virtual reality environments presented to the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining stimulus material for presentation to a subject;

generating a virtual reality environment for the stimulus material;

integrating the virtual reality environment and the stimulus material;

exposing the subject to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment;

collecting neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment, wherein the neuro-response data includes electroencephalography data;

wherein the neuro-response data from the subject is analyzed to determine an effectiveness of the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment, wherein the stimulus material comprises marketing material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neuro-response data is used to dynamically modify the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the neuro-response data is used to dynamically modify the virtual reality environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein interaction data is received from the subject to manipulate the stimulus material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus material is a product or product package.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus material is a service or offering.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus material is a sign or placard.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the neuro-response data is collected using a plurality of modalities including electroencephalography (EEG) and electrooculography (EOG).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the neuro-response data comprises obtaining target and distracter event related potential (ERP) measurements to determine differential measurements of ERP time domain components at multiple regions of the brain (DERP).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the neuro-response data further comprises obtaining event related time-frequency analysis of the differential measurements to assess attention, emotion and memory retention (DERPSPs) across multiple frequency bands.

11. A system, comprising:

an interface configured to obtain stimulus material for presentation to a subject;

a processor configured to generate a virtual reality environment for the stimulus material and integrate the virtual reality environment and the stimulus material;

a display configured to expose the subject to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment;

electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes configured to collect neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment; and

a data analyzer configured to evaluate the neuro-response data from the subject to determine an effectiveness of the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment, wherein the stimulus material is marketing material.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the neuro-response data is used to dynamically modify the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the neuro-response data is used to dynamically modify the virtual reality environment.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein interaction data is received from the subject to manipulate the stimulus material.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the stimulus material is a product or product package.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the stimulus material is a service or offering.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the stimulus material is a sign or placard.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein evaluating the neuro-response data comprises obtaining target and distracter event related potential (ERP) measurements to determine differential measurements of ERP time domain components at multiple regions of the brain (DERP).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein evaluating the neuro-response data further comprises obtaining event related time-frequency analysis of the differential measurements to assess the attention, emotion and memory retention (DERPSPs) across multiple frequency bands.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

means for obtaining stimulus material for presentation to a subject;

means for generating a virtual reality environment for the stimulus material;

means for integrating the virtual reality environment and the stimulus material;

means for exposing the subject to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment; and

means for collecting neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the stimulus material in the virtual reality environment, wherein the neuro-response data comprises electroencephalography data;

wherein the neuro-response data from the subject is analyzed to determine the effectiveness of stimulus material in the virtual reality environment, wherein the stimulus material is marketing material.