Abstract
Background
The U.S. Navy is increasingly incorporating immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) for training and operational use at sea. However, the impact of shipboard motion on VR HMD-induced cybersickness remains underexplored. This study investigates whether VR HMD users experience greater cybersickness in simulated dynamic maritime environments compared to static, land-based settings. A within-subjects design was used with 32 participants completing VR tasks across four conditions: a static, land-based environment and three simulated maritime conditions replicating calm, moderate, and rough sea states. Cybersickness symptoms were measured using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) and physiological data including heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and galvanic skin response (GSR). Results revealed significantly greater SSQ scores and physiological arousal in dynamic, simulated shipboard conditions. These findings suggest that ship motion intensifies cybersickness symptoms, which may impact VR HMD effectiveness at sea. The study provides empirical evidence to inform U.S. Navy decisions about immersive system integration and recommends further work to develop mitigation strategies and adapt VR systems for shipboard use.
Significance
The findings of this research provide the U.S. Navy both a robust dataset and evidence-based recommendations for future work that seeks to mitigate HMD-induced cybersickness onboard ships at sea, should symptoms be found to be more severe in dynamic conditions. By understanding how cybersickness symptoms are impacted by the unique environmental conditions onboard naval vessels, the Navy can ensure that their long-term goal of fielding HMDs at sea is executed with prioritization placed on the health, safety, and performance of its Sailors.
Methods
We measured physiological response differences and subjective symptom ratings across two conditions—a static, land-based condition and a simulated dynamic, maritime-based condition. The dynamic condition utilized a 3 degree-of-freedom (DOF) motion platform to simulate three distinct sea states—calm, moderate, and rough—using validated, real-world sea trial DOF data parameters.
Results
The experiment is currently underway. Data collection and analysis will be completed by May 2025.