Motion sickness and cybersickness - Sensory mismatch

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Neuroscience
• Physiology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) use with head-mounted displays (HMD) can induce cybersickness, with symptoms mirroring motion sickness.
• Understanding individual susceptibility to cybersickness is crucial for VR user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between individual balance characteristics, motion sickness tendency, and cybersickness vulnerability.
• To assess the impact of VR exposure on postural stability and sensory integration.

Main Methods:

• Healthy young adults (N=45) underwent a 4-minute VR exposure using HMD while standing unsupported.
• Balance was assessed before (Sensory Orientation Test) and during (balance platform) VR exposure.
• Cybersickness symptoms were quantified using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ).

Main Results:

• VR exposure significantly increased cybersickness symptoms (SSQ scores increased; p<0.01), with 73% reporting discomfort.
• Nausea and Disorientation sub-scores of the SSQ were elevated, unlike Oculomotor disturbance.
• Participants with a predisposition to motion sickness experienced greater sensory integration challenges.
• No specific balance characteristics were identified as predictors of cybersickness vulnerability.
• Discomfort was reported even after the initial balance assessment, indicating a potential confounding effect.

Conclusions:

• Individual balance characteristics do not appear to predict cybersickness vulnerability.
• Pre-existing motion sickness tendency exacerbates cybersickness, particularly affecting sensory integration.
• The Sensory Orientation Test itself may induce discomfort, potentially biasing results and diminishing observed subgroup differences.