Virtual reality body motion induced navigational controllers and their effects on simulator sickness and pathfinding

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality Technology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) navigation faces challenges with simulator sickness (SS) and intuitive user control.
• Evaluating different motion-induced VR controllers is crucial for improving user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess simulator sickness (SS) occurrence and intuitive utilization of four distinct VR navigation controllers.
• To compare a TiltChair, omni-directional treadmill, VRNChair (manual wheelchair joystick), and a standard joystick.

Main Methods:

• Twenty young adults navigated a VR environment using each controller in separate sessions.
• Simulator sickness was measured via questionnaire and body sway (center of pressure path length).
• Controller intuitiveness was assessed by analyzing traversed distances in navigation tasks.

Main Results:

• Simulator sickness occurrence did not significantly differ across the four VR navigation controllers.
• Increased time spent in VR significantly correlated with higher simulator sickness.
• Shorter traversed distances indicated intuitive use (TiltChair), while longer distances suggested difficulty (omni-directional treadmill).

Conclusions:

• VR navigation effectiveness depends on controller choice, user age, and task duration.
• Incorporating breaks during VR sessions can help mitigate simulator sickness.
• Technology selection should prioritize minimizing SS and ensuring intuitive interaction for optimal VR navigation.