Stereoscopic Viewing Enhances Visually Induced Motion Sickness
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Behrang Keshavarz* Stereoscopic Viewing Enhances Heiko Hecht Department of General Visually Induced Motion Sickness Experimental Psychology but Sound Does Not Johannes Gutenberg-University 55099 Mainz, Germany Abstract Optic flow in visual displays or virtual environments often induces motion sickness (MS). We conducted two studies to analyze the effects of stereopsis, background sound, and realism (video vs. simulation) on the severity of MS and related feelings of immersion and vection. In Experiment 1, 79 participants watched either a 15-min-long video clip taken during a real roller coaster ride, or a precise simulation of the same ride. Additionally, half of the participants watched the movie in 2D, and the other half in 3D. MS was measured using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) and the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS). Results showed a significant interaction for both variables, indicating highest sickness scores for the real roller coaster video presented in 3D, while all other videos provoked less MS and did not differ among one another. In Experiment 2, 69 subjects were exposed to a video captured during a bicycle ride. Viewing mode (3D vs. 2D) and sound (on vs. off) were varied between subjects. Response measures were the same as in Experiment 1. Results showed a significant effect of stereopsis; MS was more severe for 3D presentation. Sound did not have a significant effect. Taken together, stereoscopic viewing played a crucial role in MS in both experiments. Our findings imply that stereoscopic videos can amplify visual dis- comfort and should be handled with care. 1 Introduction Over the past decades, the technological progress in entertainment sys- tems has grown rapidly. Looking at console video games, for example, the graphical design of virtual environments (VE) has changed dramatically toward more realism. High-resolution monitors, high-definition projectors, and powerful computer systems offer the possibility to enjoy the impressive sensa- tion of virtual worlds. Not only does the entertainment industry benefit from such developments, but modern simulators and virtual systems are of para- mount importance in rehabilitation and training. Flight and driving simulations for trainees are an efficient, time-saving, as well as cost and risk minimizing tool, and are widely accepted in different fields in research and education. Despite this imposing progress in technology, visually induced motion sickness (AKA, simulator sickness or cybersickness; Cobb, Nichols, Ramsey, & Wilson, 1999; McCauley & Sharkey, 1992) is still a major problem in such virtual systems. Presence, Vol. 21, No. 2, Spring 2012, 213–228 ª 2012 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology *Correspondence to [email protected]. Keshavarz and Hecht 213 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/PRES_a_00102 by guest on 01 October 2021 214 PRESENCE: VOLUME 21, NUMBER 2 Visually induced motion sickness (MS) is a phenom- observer’s feeling of being there in a virtual environment enon similar to other forms of MS, with the exception (for an overview see Sadowski and Stanney, 2002). that visually induced MS does not require physical There are several theories on the construct of immersion motion (Hettinger & Riccio, 1992; McCauley & and its subcomponents (Witmer & Singer, 1998; Sharkey, 1992). Typical symptoms are nausea, dizziness, Heeter, 1992). Immersion itself is influenced by several pallor, cold sweat, or oculomotor problems. Sensory factors, such as pictorial realism or inter-individual inter- conflict theory (Reason, 1978; Reason & Brand, 1975; nal factors. Although the role of vection has been dis- Oman, 1990) may be the best explanation for visually cussed frequently in the current literature, not much induced MS, which proposes that there is a conflict attention has been paid to the relationship between among the visual, the vestibular, and/or the propriocep- immersion and visually induced MS. If vection is tive systems. The visual system senses self-motion (e.g., involved in feeling sick, and vection is needed to enhance vection; Dichgans & Brandt, 1973), whereas the vestib- the level of immersion, then immersion and MS should ular organs do not signal corresponding accelerations. correlate positively (Lawson, Graeber, Mead, & Muth, From an evolutionary point of view, the sensory conflict 2002). However, there are only very few studies that and the resulting MS-typical symptoms are thought to tried to analyze the relationship between immersion and simulate the effect of a contamination of the gastrointes- visually induced MS. Surprisingly, both studies that did, tinal tract with toxins. As a natural reaction, the orga- found negative correlations between immersion and MS nism tries to withdraw the toxins by retching and even (Nichols, Haldane, & Wilson, 2000; Witmer & Singer). vomiting as ultimate reaction (a poison theory by Treis- The aim of our study was to examine three aspects of man, 1977). visually induced MS: (1) the role of stereoscopic viewing Several factors influence the degree of visually induced on visually induced MS, (2) the comparison between MS. Most importantly, vection has been linked to visu- reality-captured video footage and computer simula- ally induced MS (Hettinger, Berbaum, Kennedy, tions, and (3) the role of background sound on MS. All Dunlap, & Nolan, 1990; McCauley & Sharkey, 1992); three aspects are briefly described in the following. and may be a precondition for visually induced MS (Crampton & Young, 1953; Smart, Stoffregen, & Bardy, 2002), as most users of virtual simulators who 1.1 Stereoscopic Viewing. We wanted to mea- report sickness also experience vection (Hettinger et al.). sure the effect of stereoscopic viewing on visually Vection itself is determined by a number of other induced MS, if present at all. Although 3D movies have factors, such as the participant’s field of view (Brandt, existed for a long time, they are only now becoming Dichgans, & Koenig, 1973; IJsselsteijn, de Ridder, readily available. With the introduction of digital projec- Freeman, Avons, & Bouwhuis, 2001) or even the tion systems and shutter glasses or polarized filter lenses, color of the visual stimulus (Bonato & Bubka, 2006; stereoscopic entertainment is becoming mainstream. In Seno, Sunaga, & Ito, 2010). Apart from the role of the 2009, when James Cameron’s Avatar was released in field of view, only a few studies have investigated the cinemas, a certain 3D-movie euphoria was initiated. Its relationship between stereopsis and vection and found effects with regard to MS are, however, largely heterogeneous results. While IJsselstein et al. reported unknown, barring some anecdotal reports of MS-like no effect of stereopsis on the degree of vection, Palmisa- symptoms when watching 3D movies either in cinemas no’s data (1996) indicated shorter latencies of vection or at home. when the stimuli (random-dot clouds) were presented There is some indication in the current literature that stereoscopically. stereoscopic viewing enhances feelings of immersion A further phenomenon closely linked to vection is the (Banos, Botella, Rubio, Quero, Garcia-Palacios, & feeling of immersion or presence (see Hettinger, 2002, Alcan˜iz, 2008; IJsselsteijn et al., 2001; IJsselsteijn, for an overview). In short, immersion describes the de Ridder, Hamberg, Bouwhuis, and Freeman, 1998). Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/PRES_a_00102 by guest on 01 October 2021 Keshavarz and Hecht 215 However, to our knowledge, there is a lack of data deal- 1.3 Sound. Music has been used as a counter- ing with the influence of stereopsis on visually induced measure to decrease MS in a few studies, with mixed suc- MS, even though potential hazards of stereoscopic view- cess (Yen Pik Sang, Billar, Golding, & Gresty, 2003; ing have been discussed recently (see Howarth, 2011). Dozza et al., 2005), but the role of realistic background IJsselsteijn et al. (2001) collected data on MS while pre- sound has only been vaguely discussed before (Nichols, senting video footage on a large screen to their partici- et al., 2000). To fill this gap, we took a closer look at the pants for a short interval. The stimuli were shown either role of realistic background sound on visually induced in 3D or 2D, and the results showed no difference MS, as well as on immersion and vection. between the groups. The stimulus—a 100-s long video Additionally, we wanted to take a closer look at possi- taken out of a driving car—most likely was too short and ble after-effects on visually induced MS. It is well known too weak to provoke any kind of visually induced MS. that MS can last up to several hours or even days after Furthermore, the authors chose a within-subjects design, the experiment is terminated (Muth, 2010; Stanney, which might have produced some habituation, a well- Hale, Nahmens, & Kennedy, 2003; Stanney & Salvendy, known phenomenon in MS (Hill & Howarth, 2000). 1998). However, we gathered data up to 5 hr after the MS was not the focus of that study, but merely a by- experiment to see if stereopsis prolongs the recovery pro- product which the authors did not even discuss. cess. We conducted two separate experiments to answer 1.2 Real-World Footage versus Computer these questions. In Experiment 1, a 2 [video type (real, Simulation.1 Computer simulations are widely used simulation)] Â 2 [viewing mode (bi-ocular 2D, stereo- in training, rehabilitation, entertainment, and psycho- scopic 3D)] between-subjects design was chosen. We cap- logical studies, but have not yet been tested for ecologi- tured a video sequence of a real roller coaster ride using cal validity with respect to the genesis of MS. Are simula- stereo cameras. We additionally used a computer-simula- tions as realistic as real videos, and can they be used as tion of the same ride to compare the difference between one-on-one substitutes when it comes to their ability to real and simulated stimuli. Both videos were either pre- create MS symptoms? To our knowledge, reality- sented stereoscopically or in bi-ocular mode.