Biometric Evaluation and Immersive Construction Environments: A Research Overview of the Current Landscape, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Abstract

Immersive technology, a collection of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, has been applied to many aspects of the construction industry. To evaluate immersive technology–related experiments, many evaluation approaches have been proposed, which can be categorized as quantitative-based and qualitative-based. With the advancement of the neuroscience discipline, there is an emerging trend in deploying biometric sensors to evaluate physiological responses when participants are exposed to virtual stimuli in an immersive environment, which can be categorized as biometric-based evaluation. This study aims to review state-of-the-art biometric-based evaluations in a variety of immersive technologies (ImTs) in construction. A total of 43 articles published from 2018 to 2024 are included. The systematic review of selected articles produced five research themes: (1) ImT usability evaluation; (2) learning experience and performance; (3) general construction tasks; (4) human–robot collaboration; and (5) hazard identification and risk perceptions. The summarizations revealed that biometric sensors have been increasingly adopted to understand the psychophysiological and cognitive process when exposed to a stimulus in ImT environments without physically exposing workers to danger. This study also summarized limitations and future directions in four aspects, including ImT development, biometric deployment, biometric-based ImT development, and application potentials in the construction industry. The obtained knowledge is expected to benefit the researchers from an overview of the applications of using biometric sensors in immersive environments and promote the integration of biometric and immersive technology in the construction industry.