A Study of Cybersickness and Sensory Conflict Theory Using a Motion-Coupled Virtual Reality System

Sensory conflict theory attempts to provide the framework of cyber-sickness in virtual reality (VR) systems by the mismatch between visual and vestibular senses. This study examined whether coupling motion sensations to the visual stimulus in a VR setting could reduce the discomfort. A motion-coupled VR system was used. Motion platform provides motion that supplements visual stimulus from the head-mounted display. Participants experience programmed visual and motion yaw rotations while viewing a virtual apartment. Three conditions were tested on how motion and visual stimuli synchronise which each other: purely visual, motion synchronised with visual, and visually-levelled frame of reference. Results showed that providing matching visual-motion stimuli decreased the miserable score (MISC) of cybersickness and increased the joyfulness score (JOSC) of their subjective feeling.