Cybersickness in XR

Methodology

(1) Apparatus: This study evaluated three HMDs, each with VST technology, totaling four conditions in which each participant performed all the above tasks: (a) Control (no HMD); (b) Prototype Device 1 (PD1); (c) Prototype Device 2 (PD2); and (d) Commercial Device 1 (CD1). For confidentiality purposes, the names and brands of the actual devices have been anonymized.

(2) Participants: 56 participants responded to the recruitment email, where a total of 20 participants (50% female, even distribution of ages, and use of prescription eyeglasses) met the susceptibility to cybersickness criteria below the highest values and time availability to conclude the study (2 hours across 2 separate days).

(3) The study procedure is divided into 5 phases, as shown below:

Questionnaires and measures used throughout the study: 

• Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ);

• XR experience score;

• Interpupillary distance (IPD);

• Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ);

• Mean opinion score (MOS); 

• Jaeger card and LOGMAR charts for far and near vision;

Visual perception tests :

• Visual acuity:  LogMAR eye charts (far vision , near vision)

• Depth perception:  Blind throw (far depth), Blind reach (near depth) 

• Color discrimination:  Farnworth-Munsell 100 Hue test (color arrangement)

• Latency:  Ball catch 

UX Tasks:

• Explore lab:  Walking, Pickup/place objects

• Read:  Print (Jaeger reading card), Phone message, PC keyboard/screen

• Write/type:  Paper, Phone message, PC keyboard/screen

Participants while performing tasks

Key Findings

This study introduced a comprehensive evaluation methodology combining mixed methods to assess visual perception and user satisfaction within HMDs using VST technology. We combined several metrics from previous works in VR, AR, and VST into one complete evaluation involving visual perception performance tests, user experience tasks, and subjective questionnaires. 

The results from task performance, mixed with user perception regarding the devices, gathered a complete evaluation that allowed the engineering team to understand how hardware limitations impact the experience of wearing the device while highlighting opportunities to improve further prototypes.