# Current Perceptions of Virtual Reality Technology
## 1 Introduction
### Current Research Questions  
The overall goal of the current study was to understand current attitudes towards VR and related technologies, how these correspond to its adoption, and views on its applications beyond gaming. It is necessary to understand consumer attitudes towards such technology and to keep up with attitudes as new iterations of the devices are rolled out, for both manufacturers and researchers. By understanding consumers' perceptions, preferences, and adoption barriers, companies can make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and market positioning. At the same time, research such as this provides insights into the way individuals act on their perceptions of equipment and enhances the literature on technology acceptance models.  
To achieve these goals, a novel questionnaire was developed that included both forced-choice and free-text questions. Commonalities between individuals who did and did not (at the time of answering) choose to use VR were pinpointed, and their explanations as to why were also assessed. This method was used to understand whether the various acceptance models relating to VR, such as TAM and VR-HAM, take the most important factors into consideration now that the technology is more widely available and more people may have some experience with its use compared to when these models were created.  
Who uses VR? The first section of questions collected basic demographic information from our participants. The second section focussed on physiological characteristics, such as potential visual and auditory impairments and susceptibility to motion sickness, that might affect a potential user's ability to benefit from VR. Questions on the participant's hobbies and interests were also included to understand the relevance of VR in these fields. No demographic differences were expected between users and non-users. Links between the degree of enjoyment and engagement with other types of gaming and VR usage were expected, as well as a negative relationship between VR usage and the propensity for motion sickness and the presence of existing visual or auditory impairments. Perceived usability was also expected to have an impact on the enjoyment of VR.  
Why and how do people use VR? Questions on the usefulness and user experience of the technology were addressed. Participants were asked about their experience of using VR as well as their opinions of potential uses of the technology. It was predicted that there would be a difference in the factors deemed important for VR by those who are current users of the technology compared to those who do not use it regularly.  
What are the implications for VR manufacturers? Questions pertaining to the technical characteristics that influence the quality of the experience of using VR were asked. Suggestions for improvements that could be made to such devices were collected. This information aims to provide some insights that manufacturers can use for future iterations of such devices.  
What risks are associated with VR? Health, safety, security, and privacy issues or concerns related to the use of VR and AR were investigated. Questions delving into the types of data that can be collected by AR and VR devices, related to potential concerns over user monitoring, data privacy and behaviour, and mood modification through the use of personalised content [88; 89] were included. All of these factors are important considerations for the individual and societal acceptance of these types of technology. If individuals are not confident in the privacy of their own data, if non-users have concerns about covert or overt video and audio capture, or if there is a sufficient lack of trust in the way that companies select and personalise content, then the technology may be less likely to be accepted.