Augmented Virtuality for Contextual Sensory Evaluation: Comparison with an LED Wall System
In sensory and consumer studies, immersive technologies have been used to reintroduce
contextual cues under controlled conditions, addressing the limited ecological validity of
conventional sensory booths. However, direct comparison of immersive technologies remains
limited, despite their potential differences. This study aimed to compare the impact of two
immersive technologies on the delivery of context during sensory evaluation of fruit
beverages. A total of 105 consumers participated in a within-subject repeated measures
design in which four fruit beverages were evaluated under blind and informed conditions
across three environments: a sensory booth, an advanced, highly-immersive augmented
virtuality system (Sense-AV) and a high-definition LED wall system (14.6m , 1.2mm pixel
pitch), with both immersive systems simulating an outdoor terrace overlooking the Douro
River and Porto’s historic Ribeira waterfront. Overall liking, open comments, emoji-based
emotional responses, product perceptions and post-session questionnaires assessing
engagement, sensory perception, environmental aesthetics, immersion, realism and product–
environment congruency were collected. Product information significantly influenced overall
liking and, more broadly, emotional responses and product perception. The effects of the
environment were limited to blind evaluations, in which the LED wall system induced
significantly higher overall liking than the sensory booth and more positive associations for
emotions and product attributes than the sensory booth and, for several measures, than the
Sense-AV system. No differences between environments were observed under informed
evaluations. In the post-session questionnaires, both immersive systems showed significantly
higher sensory perception than the sensory booth. Although both immersive systems
received high immersion and product-context congruency scores, the Sense-AV system was
rated significantly higher for realism and environmental aesthetics than the LED wall system,
which, in turn, outperformed the sensory booth. These findings suggest that immersive
technologies may enhance ecological validity in sensory and consumer research, although
contextual effects appear to vary by immersive environment and emerge primarily during
blind evaluations.
Publish date 2026-08-11
Author(s) João Pedro Marques; Rita Ramos; Diego Martinez; Joana Pires; Ana Boticas; Daniela Campelo; Célia Rocha; José Carlos Ribeiro; Rui Costa Lima; Bruna Barbosa; Maria João Alegria
