Wearable Neuroimaging and Emotion

Wearable Neuroimaging and Emotion: Investigating Emotional Responses to Architectural Environments with Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Supported by contemporary theories of architectural aesthetics and neuro-aesthetics, this paper presents a case for the use of portable fNIRS imaging in the assessment of emotional responses to spatial environments experienced by both blind and sighted. The aim of the paper is to outline the implications of fNIRS for spatial research and practice within the field of architecture, thereby suggesting a potential taxonomy of particular formations of space and affect. The researchers conclude that comparative fNIRS studies between the sighted and blind concerning spatial experience have the potential to provide greater understanding of emotional responses to architectural environments.