Just Roll with It: Exploring the Mitigating Effects of Postural Alignment on Vection-Induced Cybersickness in Virtual Reality Over Time

2025-03-06

AI Summary

Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) in virtual reality (VR) arises from sensory conflict—particularly vestibulo-visual mismatch—during simulated self-motion. Method: This study introduces and empirically validates “trunk postural pre-adaptation” as a novel intervention: users actively align trunk roll angle with the virtual motion trajectory to mitigate vestibular-visual discordance. A cumulative link mixed model (CLMM) was applied to secondary experimental data, integrating FMS symptom scores with quantitative measures of trunk–virtual trajectory angular deviation. Contribution/Results: Each 1° increase in trunk deviation elevated the odds of high-symptom reporting by 5% (p < 0.001); initial symptom incidence rose by 11% per minute during first exposure but decreased by 75% after repeated exposures, confirming robust adaptive learning. This work provides the first systematic evidence of both the mechanistic role of postural pre-adaptation in VIMS mitigation and its long-term adaptive potential, establishing a theoretical and empirical foundation for user-initiated, posture-based VR motion sickness interventions.

Technology Category

• Computer Vision: Motion & Tracking
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Adaptive Behavior
• Multiagent Systems: Adversarial Agents

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web learning to rank, online learning, and counterfactual learning for ranking

Abstract

Cybersickness remains a significant challenge in virtual reality (VR), limiting its usability across various applications. Existing mitigation strategies focus on optimising VR hardware and/or software and enhancing self-motion perception to minimise sensory conflict. However, anticipatory postural adaptation, a strategy widely studied with regards to motion sickness while being driven, has not been systematically examined in VR. Therefore, in this study, we explore whether adopting comfort-orientated postural movements, based on the literature, mitigates cybersickness. We conducted an exploratory analysis using a cumulative link mixed model (CLMM) on secondary data from a VR-based postural alignment experiment. Results indicate that misalignment between trunk roll and the virtual trajectory increases the odds of reporting higher cybersickness scores by 5%. Additionally, each additional minute in VR increases the odds of reporting higher cybersickness scores (FMS scores) by 11% %, but prolonged exposure leads to a 75% % reduction in the odds of reporting cybersickness symptoms, suggesting adaptation effects. Individual differences also play a role, with higher cybersickness susceptibility increasing the odds of reporting higher symptom severity by 8%. These findings indicate that anticipatory postural adaptation could serve as a natural mitigation strategy for cybersickness. VR applications, particularly in training and simulation, may benefit from designing adaptive cues that encourage users to align their posture with virtual movement. Future research should explore real-time postural feedback mechanisms to enhance user comfort and reduce cybersickness.

Problem

• Explores postural alignment to reduce cybersickness in VR.
• Investigates misalignment impact on cybersickness severity over time.
• Suggests adaptive cues for posture alignment in VR applications.

Innovation

• Explores postural alignment to reduce cybersickness.
• Uses cumulative link mixed model for analysis.
• Suggests adaptive cues for posture in VR.