This research project is a study to investigate the effect of immersive natural sounds and images in the context of a geriatric rehabilitation ward, including the ILERo (Immersive Listening Experience Room) in cooperation with the Kreisklinik Roth (hospital). The study is connected to the international Listen(n) project and its satelite project ILERo and was done in May 2019.

Inventor and director of the study: Prof. Dr. Cornelius Pöpel
Academic cooperation: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Roland Schnurpfeil
Research assistant: Robert Krämer
Student team: Julia Koch, Marcel Freivogel and Claudio Muñoz Pilonitis
For the hospital Kreisklinik Roth: Dr. med. Susanne Krüger (senior physician), Christa Pytlik (ward management), Heike Jarosch (head of physiotherapy)
The study is a project of the Center for Sound and Interaction (KoSI) at Ansbach University

Wellbeeing (questionnaire) and several biosignals were measured at several points in time. The results of the study show that a majority of the participants who were for 15 minutes in the virtual nature room had an increased feeling of well-beeing. Persons of the station staff who went into the virtual natural space for a few minutes felt the time of presence to be much longer than they actually were in the room. Most of them reported a relaxing and calming, sometimes refreshing effect. Virtual nature representations of places in the region were preferred by the majority of participants to unknown nature sites.

Entrance to virtual nature room. Photo: private
Inside virtual nature room. Photo: private
Measurement representation of biosignals. Photo: private
Biosignal mesaurement devices. Photo: Ansbach University
Setting up ILERo. Photo: private