UROP Project

Unity VR Environment Development For Migraine Research

VR, migraine, Unity
Research Mentor: Dr. Simona Nikolova,
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: snikolova@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Computer Science preferred
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
  • Day: Wednesday, September 2
    Start Time: 2:30
    End Time: 3:00
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/94802521836

Project Description

Unity VR Environment Development For Migraine Research
We are looking for an undergraduate Computer Science student interested in VR, Unity, 3D environments, and human-computer interaction to help develop realistic everyday environments for a research project studying potential environmental factors associated with chronic migraine.
Project Description
The student will use Unity to create interactive virtual environments representing common real-life settings, such as:
• Home/kitchen environments
• Office/work environments
• Grocery stores or shopping environments
• Outdoor environments
• Other everyday settings
The environments will be designed to allow researchers to systematically manipulate features such as lighting, visual patterns, motion, sound, and other environmental conditions while participants experience the environments using a VR headset.


Research Tasks: Responsibilities
• Develop and modify 3D environments in Unity
• Import and configure 3D assets
• Implement lighting and environmental effects
• Create simple interactive elements
• Configure VR interactions and user movement
• Help develop experimental controls so researchers can systematically change environmental conditions
• Test and document the VR environments


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Ideal Background
• Undergraduate Computer Science or related major
• Experience with Unity and C# preferred
• Interest in VR/AR, game development, computer graphics, or human-computer interaction
• Experience with 3D modeling or Blender is a plus, but not required
• Ability to work independently and document technical work

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is to encourage independence, ownership, and accountability while being available to provide guidance when needed. I prefer to give students the freedom to explore ideas, solve problems, and develop their own approaches rather than providing step-by-step direction. I believe students learn best when they take responsibility for their work and are challenged to think critically and independently. I provide guidance, feedback, and support when appropriate, drawing on my own experience to help them overcome obstacles and learn from mistakes. I aim to establish a relationship based on mutual respect and open communication, where students feel comfortable asking questions and seeking advice while maintaining ownership of their projects and professional development.

Additional Information

This is an opportunity to contribute to an interdisciplinary research project combining computer science, VR, and neuroscience.

Link to Publications

N/A
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