Related Experiment Videos
Visual field effects on motion sickness in cars
Michael J Griffin1, Maria M Newman
1Human Factors Research Unit, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, Southampton, England. M.J.Griffin@soton.ac.uk
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|October 6, 2004
Summary
Seeing the road ahead reduces car sickness, but a video view doesn't help. Understanding visual factors is key to minimizing motion sickness for passengers.
Area of Science:
- Human-computer interaction
- Automotive engineering
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Common assumption: passengers seeing the road ahead benefits motion sickness sufferers.
- Investigating the impact of external visual cues on car sickness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if varying external views affect motion sickness development.
- To evaluate the efficacy of artificial real-time video views.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments with 20 subjects each, totaling 15 conditions.
- Manipulated visual field access (restrictions, video view) during a 30-min car journey.
- Collected motion sickness ratings at 1-min intervals; controlled for subject susceptibility and motion characteristics.
Main Results:
- Absence of a visual field led to sickness comparable to no forward view.
- A wide or narrow forward visual field significantly reduced sickness.
- Seating position did not significantly impact sickness; video view offered no benefit.
Conclusions:
- Car sickness is significantly influenced by the visual scene.
- Minimizing sickness requires a better understanding of visual factors causing and suppressing it.
- Further research needed on visual information's role in mitigating motion sickness.