Relationships between Head-Shoulder Divergences and Sickness in a Virtual Environment

Abstract

Sickness is often experienced during exposure to virtual environments (VEs). Optical flow patterns may influence this VE sickness. We investigated the relationship between VE sickness and head-shoulder divergence angles while moving through a VE. The VE experience induced some level of VE sickness in all participants. Those not completing the study evidenced significantly more severe VE sickness symptoms than those completing it did. No relationships between head-shoulder divergence and sickness were revealed for experimental dropouts. However, significant correlations were found between several sickness measures and head-shoulder divergences for those completing the study. An interaction between head-shoulder divergence and time on task may exist.