Some people get sick when using virtual reality. Researchers from different universities seem to have found an explanation, and also a solution against this evil.
- Some people get sick when they use virtual reality. They may experience nausea, dizziness, headaches, disorientation or even fatigue.
- This evil of virtual reality could be linked to the ability to perceive vertical lines. Those with the weakest abilities had the highest risk of getting sick.
- Other studies show that listening to happy music could reduce the symptoms or even the risk of suffering from them.
Nausea, dizziness, headaches, fatigue… For some people, virtual reality is far from a fun experience. Researchers from the University of Waterloo (Canada) sought to better understand this evil, called the cybersickness among English speakers.
Evil of virtual reality: the perception of the vertical lines in question?
For this study published in the journal Virtual RealityThe researchers gathered 31 participants. They assessed their perceptions of the vertical before and after playing two virtual reality games: one high intensity and one low intensity. Those who were less ill after the sessions were more likely to show the greatest changes in their perception of vertical, especially with high-intensity play. Conversely, those who suffered the most from virtual reality sickness showed little change in their perception of vertical lines.
“Our results suggest that the severity of “cybersickness” of a person is affected by how our senses adapt to the conflict between reality and virtual reality”explained Michael Barnett Cowana professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the Canadian university in a communicated.
“This knowledge could be invaluable to developers and designers of virtual reality experiences, allowing them to create more comfortable and enjoyable environments for users.“
Listening to joyful music fights the “cybersickness”
Canadian scientists recognize that further work is needed to understand the mechanisms of harm in virtual reality. But in the meantime, good news for fans of new technologies affected by the “cybersickness”: ahe Edinburgh University team seems to have found a way to reduce nausea and dizziness. You have to listen to a joyful melody, according to their works presented in the review IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics.
The researchers came to this conclusion after evaluating the effects of music in a virtual reality environment on 39 people between the ages of 22 and 36. A series of tests were conducted to assess the effect of virtual reality sickness on reading speed, reaction times, and memory abilities after three gaming sessions. Some were accompanied by electronic, soothing or joyful pieces. Participants were also asked to rate the severity of their symptoms of “cybersickness”.
“Our study suggests soothing or uplifting music as a solution to discomfort caused by immersive virtual reality”, explained Dr. Sarah E MacPhersonauthor of the work, in a press release. It helps to fight against the onset of the disorder as well as the intensity of the symptoms.
“Virtual reality is used in educational and clinical contexts, but the experience of discomfort can temporarily impair a person’s thinking skills and slow down their reaction time”she added. “The use of music as an intervention could encourage wider use of virtual reality in educational and clinical settings.“
