The role of binocular disparity and active motion parallax in cybersickness. 2021

Siavash Eftekharifar, and Anne Thaler, and Adam O Bebko, and Nikolaus F Troje
Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. s.eftekharifar@queensu.ca.

Cybersickness is an enduring problem for users of virtual environments. While it is generally assumed that cybersickness is caused by discrepancies in perceived self-motion between the visual and vestibular systems, little is known about the relative contribution of active motion parallax and binocular disparity to the occurrence of cybersickness. We investigated the role of these two depth cues in cybersickness by simulating a roller-coaster ride using a head-mounted display. Participants could see the tracks via a virtual frame placed at the front of the roller-coaster cart. We manipulated the state of the frame, so it behaved like: (1) a window into the virtual scene, (2) a 2D screen, (3) and (4) a window for one of the two depth cues, and a 2D screen for the other. Participants completed the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire before and after the experiment, and verbally reported their level of discomfort at repeated intervals during the ride. Additionally, participants' electrodermal activity (EDA) was recorded. The results of the questionnaire and the continuous ratings revealed the largest increase in cybersickness when the frame behaved like a window, and least increase when the frame behaved like a 2D screen. Cybersickness scores were at an intermediate level for the conditions where the frame simulated only one depth cue. This suggests that neither active motion parallax nor binocular disparity had a more prominent effect on the severity of cybersickness. The EDA responses increased at about the same rate in all conditions, suggesting that EDA is not necessarily coupled with subjectively experienced cybersickness.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009038 Motion Physical motion, i.e., a change in position of a body or subject as a result of an external force. It is distinguished from MOVEMENT, a process resulting from biological activity. Motions
D009039 Motion Perception The real or apparent movement of objects through the visual field. Movement Perception,Perception, Motion,Perception, Movement
D009041 Motion Sickness Disorder caused by motion. It includes sea sickness, train sickness, roller coaster rides, rocking chair, hammock swing, car sickness, air sickness, or SPACE MOTION SICKNESS. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and/or dizziness. Airsickness,Carsickness,Seasickness,Air Sickness,Car Sickness,Sea Sickness,Sickness, Air,Sickness, Car,Sickness, Motion,Sickness, Sea
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue
D003867 Depth Perception Perception of three-dimensionality. Stereopsis,Stereoscopic Vision,Depth Perceptions,Perception, Depth,Perceptions, Depth,Stereopses,Stereoscopic Visions,Vision, Stereoscopic,Visions, Stereoscopic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015357 Vision Disparity The difference between two images on the retina when looking at a visual stimulus. This occurs since the two retinas do not have the same view of the stimulus because of the location of our eyes. Thus the left eye does not get exactly the same view as the right eye. Binocular Disparity,Fixation Disparity,Ocular Disparity,Parallax, Ocular,Retinal Disparity,Visual Disparity,Binocular Disparities,Disparities, Binocular,Disparities, Fixation,Disparities, Ocular,Disparities, Retinal,Disparities, Vision,Disparities, Visual,Disparity, Binocular,Disparity, Fixation,Disparity, Ocular,Disparity, Retinal,Disparity, Vision,Disparity, Visual,Fixation Disparities,Ocular Disparities,Ocular Parallax,Retinal Disparities,Vision Disparities,Visual Disparities

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