Keywords: AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY (AR/VR);BEST PRACTICES;FLIGHT SIMULATION;HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAYS;HUMAN FACTORS;MOTION;SIMULATORS

Learning Objective 1: Attendees will understand the theoretical underpinnings of VIMS.

Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to identify and measure VIMS experienced by users in a training device/scenario.

Learning Objective 3: Given a particular simulator or VR device and delivered content, the learner will be able to evaluate the likelihood of users encountering VIMS.

Learning Objective 4: Given above conditions, the leaner will be able to identify and select possible ways to reduce VIMS experienced by users in their own applications.

Abstract:

Virtual Reality (VR) and simulation technologies are essential tools for training, education, research, healthcare, and entertainment, in military and civilian applications. With an estimated market value of 105.9bn USD in 2030 and more than 171 million current users worldwide, VR technologies will have a major impact on our daily lives. Although VR and simulation technologies have improved significantly since they were first introduced, motion sickness is still a common side-effect for many users of VR and simulation technologies, resulting in various symptoms that can include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and eyestrain. As these symptoms are primarily caused by stimulation of the visual system while physical movement is typically limited (or fully absent), the term visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) has been used to describe motion sickness-like feelings in virtual environments (VEs). The occurrence of VIMS can cause users to stop VR or simulation sessions prematurely, with dropout rates being as high as 70% in some cases, posing a major problem for the training of military or civilian personnel that needs to be urgently addressed.
The goal of the present tutorial is to provide attendees with a systematic overview of the topic of VIMS while providing practical considerations when using or designing VEs. To achieve this, the tutorial is segmented into 5 parts. We will first introduce the attendees to the different theoretical foundations of VIMS (Part I) and discuss the role of different factors determining an individual’s susceptibility to VIMS (Part II). Next, the tutorial will provide recommendations for measuring the severity of VIMS during and after VE exposure (Part III). An overview of the most effective countermeasures against VIMS will be provided (Part IV) before future research directions and open questions will be highlighted (Part V). Importantly, this tutorial is designed to provide helpful considerations and recommendations for users and designers of virtual environments (VR/AR applications, simulators). This tutorial does not require any existing knowledge on the topic of VIMS and is suitable for novice and expert users alike.

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Dr. Bruce Haycock