Demonstration of a Motion Coupled Virtual Environment (Mocove) – a Device for Reducing Spatial Disorientation in Uncoupled Virtual and Motion Environments

Abstract

The U.S. Navy intends to field Virtual Environments (VE) aboard ships and submarines for training crews at sea and in harbor. The shipboard environment combined with a VE presents a challenge for reducing the side effects, most notably motion sickness, postural instability and spatial disorientation. The discrepancy between actual motion and perceived motion in the VE has been shown to be among the greatest contributing factors to side effects. The two environments, virtual and real, combine to create a highly provocative “motion discordant environment.” This demonstration presents an approach for minimizing side effects. The approach creates a Motion Coupled Virtual Environment (MOCOVE) where physical motion is sensed and convolved with the VE scene. The resultant VE has been shown to reduce side effects in preliminary laboratory studies