Emotions are associated with the genesis of visually induced motion sickness in virtual reality

Abstract

Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) is a well-known side effect of virtual reality (VR) immersion, with symptoms including nausea, disorientation, and oculomotor discomfort. Previous studies have shown that pleasant music, odor, and taste can mitigate VIMS symptomatology, but the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. We predicted that positive emotions influence the VIMS-reducing effects. To investigate this, we conducted an experimental study with 68 subjects divided into two groups. The groups were exposed to either positive or neutral emotions before and during the VIMS-provoking stimulus. Otherwise, they performed exactly the same task of estimating the time-to-contact while confronted with a VIMS-provoking moving starfield stimulation. Emotions were induced by means of pre-tested videos and with International Affective Picture System (IAPS) images embedded in the starfield simulation. We monitored emotion induction before, during, and after the simulation, using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) valence and arousal scales. VIMS was assessed before and after exposure using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) and during simulation using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS) and FMS-D for dizziness symptoms. VIMS symptomatology did not differ between groups, but valence and arousal were correlated with perceived VIMS symptoms. For instance, reported positive valence prior to VR exposure was found to be related to milder VIMS symptoms and, conversely, experienced symptoms during simulation were negatively related to subjects’ valence. This study sheds light on the complex and potentially bidirectional relationship of VIMS and emotions and provides starting points for further research on the use of positive emotions to prevent VIMS.

Immersive Emotion Analysis in VR Environments: A Sensor-Based Approach to Prevent Distortion

“…Among the emotions felt by the user, dizziness showed a lower F-score than the other nine emotions, and the feeling of dizziness in the VR environment itself does not show a direct connection with valence and arousal. According to Kaufeld et al [49], visibly induced motion scalability (VIMS) and the emotions felt during VR are related. Although the results of this study were inconsistent with the finding that arousal significantly increases when a user experience dizziness, the inability to reduce VIMS by using other emotions [49] can be interpreted as dizziness being less affected by valence and arousal, unlike other emotions.…”

“…According to Kaufeld et al [49], visibly induced motion scalability (VIMS) and the emotions felt during VR are related. Although the results of this study were inconsistent with the finding that arousal significantly increases when a user experience dizziness, the inability to reduce VIMS by using other emotions [49] can be interpreted as dizziness being less affected by valence and arousal, unlike other emotions. This suggests that dizziness is not suitable for this study, which attempted to infer user emotions using valence and arousal, and that separate studies are required on the effect of dizziness on user's emotions.…”

CyPVICS: A framework to prevent or minimise cybersickness in immersive virtual clinical simulation

“…Kaufeld, De Coninck, Schmidt and Hecht [ 132 ] determined that chewing gum while immersed in a VE leads to a significant reduction in CS onset while also proving a cheap and easy to administer countermeasure to limit CS symptoms and it was therefore included in the CyPVICS Framework.…”

High-Frequency Cybersickness Prediction Using Deep Learning Techniques With Eye-Related Indices

“…Among these indices, pupil diameter emerged as a notable candidate. Fluctuations in pupil diameter are widely recognized to be influenced by a range of factors, including emotional states [28], [29], and fatigue [30]-conditions frequently associated with CS experiences [1], [31], [32]. Therefore, variations in pupil diameter provide significant insights in this context.…”