Food Protection Trends - November/December 2020 - 458

STE technology
Unlike the AR and VR technologies, which use a headmounted display, smartphone, tablet, or computer to view
the virtual or augmented scenes of an environment, simulated
task environment (STE) technology utilizes a video theatre
design. The video theatre comprises high-resolution flat panel
displays (capable of higher resolution than typical consumergrade televisions) or rear projection media panels to recreate
a computer-synthesized depiction of an environment in
which the viewer occupies the space within the video theatre
(24, 62) (Fig. 1). Sensors communicate user movement and
interaction within the video theatre and maintain appropriate
real-time rendering of environment scales during exploration.
STE setup often includes allied props and multisensory
cues to increase presence and context (65). Because the real
environment can be too complex to provide experimental
control, variables in an STE can be controlled, potentially
making it easier to study behavior in an STE than in the
actual task environment (45). Consequently, researchers can
study behavior in a task environment that is appropriate to
the research question of interest (45, 75).

FIGURE 1. Example of STE technology at the Perceptual Experience
Laboratory (Cardiff Metropolitan University). The research facility
comprises of a 2.5-m-tall high-resolution cylindrical rear-projection
screen that wraps 200° around the participant. The screen can be
configured to represent virtually any environment in terms of sight,
sound, smell, temperature, air movement, and physical objects (117).

STE application for food safety training
Global companies are using STE and VR technologies
to better understand consumer purchasing behaviors (53),
to improve the design of products and packaging, and thus
strengthen brand competitiveness. The use of STEs to test
packaging designs concurs with Young's (123) opinion
that product testing is more valid when participants are
in an appropriate shopping context with realistic product
surroundings. Inclusion of multisensory cues in an STE (e.g.,
olfactory cues, temperature control, air movement, auditory

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Food Protection Trends November/December

effects, and props) facilitates presence and engagement (65)
and has successfully provided real-life context for product
testing across several research areas (42, 43, 58, 59). Given
the technical setup and running costs for STE facilities,
this technology is used exclusively for in-house testing by
companies with large research, development, and marketing
budgets. Consequently, dissemination of commercial
research activity and such valuable insights are not available
in the public domain, and small and medium-size businesses
may not have access to such valuable technology.
STEs could be used to expand upon the training and
education capabilities of AR and VR by delivering interactive
group training relating to areas that are not easily accessible
and enabling peer-to-peer learning. Knowledge-based
training alone may not improve food safety performance,
whereas behavior-based training approaches are often
more effective for improving food safety performance and
frequency (124). The use of simulated tasks in an STE facility
may provide a knowledge and behavioral training approach
to enhancing food safety.
Eye tracking
Eye-tracking technologies project near-infrared light onto
an individual's eyes, producing reflections that are captured
by sensors and then processed by algorithms that infer
gaze points (where the user is looking), allowing metric
calculations of eye movement data (108). Eye-tracking data
can be captured with either wearable eye-tracking technology
(e.g., eye-tracking glasses (115)) or unobtrusive screen-based
eye-tracking technology (e.g., eye-tracking bar placed on a
laptop (114) or a laptop webcam (113)).
Eye tracking provides noninvasive and comprehensive
data on brain function and cognition (30). Eye-tracking
technology allows the assessment of an individual's visual
attention and behavior while performing tasks within a
desired setting. Eye-tracking data are initially observed
using attention-based heat maps and gaze path visualization.
Detailed investigations rely on demarcating areas of interest
for quantitative analysis (111). These unique insights have
resulted in widespread use of eye-tracking technology
throughout the research, development, and marketing stages
for new and existing products from global manufacturing
companies (107).
The ability to capture an unbiased visual record of a
participant's subconscious during tasks (implicit research)
robustly supports behavioral and attention insights and
removes the uncertainty (lack of candor) associated with
response data collected with traditional research methods
such as questionnaires, in which responses can be subject to
biases (110, 112). Eye-tracking technology has significantly
improved in its usability, accuracy, and speed while
decreasing in cost (28), resulting in increased availability
and use in research (82, 107). Research exploring visual
reaction to stimuli has been conducted in psychology,

Food Protection Trends - November/December 2020

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