Abstract
Despite the technological advancements in Virtual Reality (VR), users are constantly combating feelings of nausea and disorientation, the so-called cybersickness. Cybersickness symptoms cause severe discomfort and hinder the immersive VR experience. Here we investigated cybersickness in 360-degree head-mounted display VR. In traditional 360-degree VR experiences, translational movement in the real world is not reflected in the virtual world, and therefore self-motion information is not corroborated by matching visual and vestibular cues, which may trigger symptoms of cybersickness. We evaluated whether a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) software designed to supplement the 360-degree VR experience with artificial six-degrees-of-freedom motion may reduce cybersickness. Explicit (simulator sickness questionnaire and Fast Motion Sickness (FMS) rating) and implicit (heart rate) measurements were used to evaluate cybersickness symptoms during and after 360-degree VR exposure. Simulator sickness scores showed a significant reduction in feelings of nausea during the AI-supplemented six-degrees-of-freedom motion VR compared to traditional 360-degree VR. However, six-degrees-of-freedom motion VR did not reduce oculomotor or disorientation measures of sickness. No changes were observed in FMS and heart rate measures. Improving the congruency between visual and vestibular cues in 360-degree VR, as provided by the AI-supplemented six-degrees-of-freedom motion system considered, is essential for a more engaging, immersive and safe VR experience, which is critical for educational, cultural and entertainment applications.
Highlights
As we move through the external environment, the vestibular system in the inner ear provides a flow of information regarding the position of our head in the three-dimensional space
We focused on a particular Virtual Reality (VR) experience in which videos are captured using omnidirectional cameras which enable the filming of an entire 360 degrees scene
We investigated whether cybersickness in 360-degree VR can be reduced by a novel Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based software
Summary
As we move through the external environment, the vestibular system in the inner ear provides a flow of information regarding the position of our head in the three-dimensional space. VR lacks the 6-degrees-of-freedom self-motion that we normally experience in the real world provided by multisensory integration between dynamic visual and 6-degrees-of-freedom vestibular cues, as well as the within channel integration between angular acceleration cues sensed by the vestibular semicircular canals and translational acceleration sensed by the otolith organs. Where previous VR applications have focused on a 3-degrees-of-freedom rotational motion, this software aims to reduce cybersickness through providing both rotational and translational motion We predict that this AI based software may improve the congruency between visual and vestibular signals during VR exposure and enhance realism. This may have a potential impact on immersive VR experience with fewer unwanted side effects of cybersickness
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