Virtual guiding avatar: an effective procedure to reduce simulator sickness in virtual environments

This study developed a new procedure, a Virtual Guiding Avatar (VGA), which combined self-motion prediction cues and an independent visual background (IVB) to alleviate simulator sickness (SS). The VGA, which was embodied as act airplane, was designed to lead the participant along a horizontal motion trajectory through a virtual environment. Both motion prediction cues and IVBs, which provide an earth-fixed reference frame, reduced SS in separate previous studies. Participants were exposed to complex visual motion through a cartoon-like simulated environment in a very wide field of view driving simulator. Participants' responses to avatars with varying motion properties ? fixed, rotation only or rotation plus translation ? were assessed using a within-subjects experimental design. Results indicated that SS was reduced by a VGA that presented rotational cues alone or rotation plus translation. The VGA also increased participants' sense of presence and enjoyment relative to co...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: CHI
• Authors: James Jeng-Weei Lin, Habib Abi-Rached, Michal Lahav
• Keywords: CHI 2004, Human Computer Interaction, Keywords Motion Prediction, Motion Prediction Cues, Motion Simulator Design