000153687 001__ 153687 000153687 005__ 20251017144627.0 000153687 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3554434 000153687 0248_ $$2sideral$$a143761 000153687 037__ $$aART-2025-143761 000153687 041__ $$aeng 000153687 100__ $$aAvilés-Castillo, Fátima 000153687 245__ $$aVirtual Reality and User Experience: Current Trends and Future Challenges 000153687 260__ $$c2025 000153687 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted 000153687 5203_ $$aVirtual reality is an emerging and versatile technology that is gaining increasing interest from the scientific community, particularly regarding user experience. A review of the literature highlights the need for updated analyses that comprehensively address current trends in this field. The objective of this study is to analyze the evolution of scientific publications related to virtual reality and user experience, identifying trends, the most influential authors, relevant journals, and international collaborations, to provide a comprehensive overview. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database, identifying a total of 1,848 relevant publications. Network analysis techniques and Bradford’s law were applied, allowing for the examination of the distribution and impact of publications, as well as collaboration between authors and institutions. The results show an exponential growth in scientific output, particularly since 2019. While the United States leads in the number of publications, most of the influential authors are from Europe, with notable scientific output in Spain and Portugal. Current research hotspots include virtual reality applications in education and healthcare (over 70% of the analyzed publications), which align with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly 3 and 4. Trends indicate a shift towards integrating virtual reality with artificial intelligence, adaptive systems, and multisensory interaction to enhance immersion and usability. Challenges include a lack of standardized methodologies to assess immersion, presence, and cognitive load, which limits comparisons across studies and hinders the development of best practices. Future research should focus on refining interaction paradigms, improving accessibility, and developing ethical frameworks that respect data privacy and protect the user from cybersickness and the psychological effects of prolonged virtual reality exposure. 000153687 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es 000153687 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 000153687 700__ $$aBuele, Jorge 000153687 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-9408-1280$$aPalacios-Navarro, Guillermo$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000153687 7102_ $$15008$$2785$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Ingeniería Electrón.Com.$$cÁrea Tecnología Electrónica 000153687 773__ $$g13 (2025), 55939-55956$$pIEEE Access$$tIEEE Access$$x2169-3536 000153687 8564_ $$s3349536$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/153687/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada 000153687 8564_ $$s2553264$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/153687/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada 000153687 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:153687$$particulos$$pdriver 000153687 951__ $$a2025-10-17-14:24:32 000153687 980__ $$aARTICLE