Systems and methods for multi-user behavioral research

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide methods, mediums, and systems for behavioral research. In some embodiments, an environment supporting three types of users may be provided. A first type of user may represent a participant whose behavior is being monitored. The first type of user may freely interact with the environment. A second type of user may represent a moderator directing the experience of the participant. The moderator may be provided with an ability to manipulate the environment or the participants' interactions with the environment. A third type of user may represent a client interested in the participants' behavior, and the third type of user may be provided with an ability to view the environment from the perspective of the participant. Different interfaces may be provided for allowing the different types of users to interact with the environment according to their roles.

1 . A system for monitoring behaviors of a participant by a moderator and a client, the system comprising:
 a non-transitory storage medium storing logic, the logic comprising: participant interface logic that sends and receives instructions for simulating an environment and observing the simulated environment, moderator interface logic that sends and receives instructions for simulating the environment and manipulating the simulated environment, and client interface logic that sends and receives instructions for viewing the simulated environment from the perspective of the participant; and   a processor programmed to execute the stored logic.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
 maintain the simulated environment,   receive observational data about the simulated environment from the participant interface logic, and   store the observational data in the storage medium; and   further comprising an interface configured to connect the system to a visual display device for displaying the simulated environment.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the participant interface logic comprises demographic rules that cause the environment to be simulated in a different manner depending on demographics the participant. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the participant interface logic for observing the simulated environment comprises logic for changing a position of a participant avatar in the simulated environment. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the participant interface logic for observing the simulated environment comprises logic for changing a location of a participant's gaze in the simulated environment. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate one or more viewing windows for the participant's gaze. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate scores for each of the viewing windows, the calculated scores representing an amount of attention given to an object in the viewing windows. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify that the location of the participant's gaze encompasses a predefined trigger point;   retrieve a survey question associated with the predefined trigger point; and   transmit an instruction to the visual display device to display the retrieved survey question.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the moderator interface logic for manipulating the simulated environment comprises logic for moving the participant to a specified location in the simulated environment. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the moderator interface logic for manipulating the simulated environment comprises logic for manually triggering a survey question. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client interface logic limits the actions of the client in the simulated environment to viewing the simulated environment from the perspective of the participant. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the storage medium further stores one or more hardware agnostic canvases that represent the simulated environment in a manner that is not specific to the visual display device, and   the processor is further configured to translate the one or more hardware agnostic canvases into a format that is interpretable by the visual display device.   
     
     
         13 . A method for monitoring behaviors of a participant by a moderator and a client, the method comprising:
 simulating an environment comprising an object of study;   transmitting first instructions to a participant visual display device, the transmitted first instructions comprising instructions for displaying a participant perspective of the simulated environment on the participant visual display device;   receiving participant location data describing a change in a position or a gaze location of the participant in the simulated environment;   analyzing the participant location data to calculate a score based on an amount of attention paid by the participant to the object of study in the simulated environment; and   storing the calculated score in a non-transitory storage medium.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting second instructions to a client visual display device, the transmitted second instructions comprising instructions for displaying the participant perspective of the simulated environment on the client visual display device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising calculating one or more viewing windows for the participant's gaze location. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying that the participant's gaze location encompasses a predefined trigger point;   retrieving a survey question associated with the predefined trigger point; and   transmitting an instruction to the participant visual display device to display the retrieved survey question.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory electronic device readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:
 connect to a participant interface of an environmental server responsible for maintaining a simulated environment comprising an object of study, wherein the environmental server maintains a plurality of different types of interfaces, each type of interface corresponding to a different type of user interacting with the simulated environment and providing different capabilities for the different types of users;   receive information about the simulated environment from the participant interface;   render the simulated environment for a participant;   transmit participant location data describing a change in a position or a gaze location of the participant in the simulated environment to the environmental server using the participant interface;   receive updated information about the simulated environment, and updating the rendered simulated environment based on the updated information;   receive a manipulation of the environment from an instruction transmitted through a moderator interface of the environmental server; and   execute the manipulation in the simulated environment.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions for displaying the simulated environment comprise instructions for displaying the simulated environment on a virtual reality headset. 
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions for displaying the simulated environment comprise instructions for displaying the simulated environment in a two-dimensional browser. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the manipulation of the environment comprises an instruction that the participant be moved to a specified location in the simulated environment, and   executing the manipulation comprises moving the participant to the specified location.