A Demonstration of VRSpinning: Exploring the Design Space of a 1D Rotation Platform to Increase the Perception of Self-Motion in VR

Abstract

In this demonstration we introduce VRSpinning, a seated locomotion approach based around stimulating the user's vestibular system using a rotational impulse to induce the perception of linear self-motion. Currently, most approaches for locomotion in VR use either concepts like teleportation for traveling longer distances or present a virtual motion that creates a visual-vestibular conflict, which is assumed to cause simulator sickness. With our platform we evaluated two designs for using the rotation of a motorized swivel chair to alleviate this, wiggle and impulse. Our evaluation showed that impulse, using short rotation bursts matched with the visual acceleration, can significantly reduce simulator sickness and increase the perception of self-motion compared to no physical motion.