Development of an Index for Evaluating VIMS Using Gaze Data

Abstract

AbstractThe benefit of using a non-contact eye-tracking system is that it is considered as a low-burden method for measuring biological signals. The goal of this study was to develop a visual induced motion sickness (VIMS) evaluation index that uses a non-contact eye-tracking system for driving simulator (DS) experiments. The participants included nine elderly people who had visual and balance functions that did not interfere with their daily life. The gaze data of the participants were measured at rest—both before and after DS trials. The simulator sickness questionnaires (SSQ) were conducted before and after the experiment. The participants were divided into two groups based on their SSQ results. One group experienced VIMS during the DS trial (four people, with an average age of 79.0 years), whereas the other group did not experience VIMS during the DS trial (five people, average age: 71.2 years). The results of VIMS symptoms were confirmed: data concerning the locus of eye-tracking were lengthened, whereas the eye-tracking data were diffused. Moreover, in the group which experience VIMS, the regularity of gaze data during the DS trials was increased. This experiment demonstrated the usefulness of sparse density and the regularity of evaluation as a quantification index for eye-tracking data in evaluating VIMS. Regarding the application of the findings of this study, it is believed that if an eye-tracking data-based VIMS evaluation index can be used, it will be easier to detect VIMS which is caused by DS operations, thus permitting the detection of the symptoms.KeywordsVisually induced motion sickness (VIMS)Gaze dataRotational eye movementDriving simulator (DS)Elderly people