An Ontological Conceptual Model for Structuring Multimodal User Behavior in Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly employed in applications such as virtual exhibitions, safety training, and medical simulations. Understanding user behavior in these environments is essential for enhancing user experience and informing interaction design. However, analyzing VR behavior is complex due to the multimodal nature of interactions— encompassing gestures, gaze, and speech— which results in vast and heterogeneous data streams. Effectively managing and interpreting this data remains a significant challenge. Well-founded ontologies offer a structured approach to understanding, organizing, and analyzing behavioral data, yet their application in VR behavioral research remains underexplored. To address this gap, we introduce OnBehaVR— an ontology designed to represent and analyze user behavior in VR. Developed using the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO) and the OntoUML conceptual modeling language, OnBehaVR provides a formal framework for conceptualizing VR interactions. It aims to (1) clarify the conceptualization of user behavior in VR, (2) enable data integration within this domain, and (3) facilitate behavior analysis through automated reasoning and semantic queries. By leveraging ontology-driven approaches, OnBehaVR contributes to the systematic study of multimodal interactions and supports the development of adaptive and personalized virtual experiences.