Visual Vestibular Conflict Mitigation in Virtual Reality Using Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Neuroscience
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers cost-effective, high-fidelity training but can cause simulator-induced motion sickness due to visual-vestibular conflict.
• Investigating methods to mitigate sensory conflict in VR is crucial for enhancing training effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the integration of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) with VR flight training.
• To evaluate the impact of GVS on flight performance, secondary task performance, simulator sickness, and presence.

Main Methods:

• Twenty participants underwent VR flight simulation sessions, with and without GVS.
• Measured flight and secondary task performance, electrogastrograms, and administered standardized questionnaires for simulator sickness and presence.

Main Results:

• GVS significantly reduced electrogastrogram measures associated with motion sickness (DPIC, %B).
• Flight performance (hit-gates) improved from 15.5 to 17 with GVS.
• Secondary task performance (% hits) increased from 43.1% to 55.5% for the Easy task with GVS.

Conclusions:

• Synchronizing GVS with VR visual stimuli can reduce sensory conflict, enhancing training fidelity and performance.
• GVS shows potential for improving VR flight training, though further research is needed.