Exploring Adaptation-Based Techniques to Create Comfortable Virtual Reality Experiences
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Authors
Adhanom, Isayas Berhe
Issue Date
2021
Type
Dissertation
Language
Keywords
Eye Tracking , Field-of-View Restriction , Foveated Rendering , Virtual Reality , Virtual Reality Sickness
Alternative Title
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is transitioning from research to widespread consumer use. However, VR sickness - a type of motion sickness associated with VR usage - is believed to be a major impediment to the mass adoption of VR and it is estimatedto affect more than two-thirds of VR users. Previous research also shows that VR sickness affects some vulnerable groups, such as women, more severely than other groups. Although several strategies have been developed to mitigate VR sickness, most of them are not equally effective for all users since the effectiveness of any particular strategy varies across individuals. There are also concerns that some widely used VR sickness mitigation strategies, such as field-of-view (FOV) restriction, may have negative consequences on women. This thesis aims: 1) to provide theoretical understanding of the aspects of VR systems that cause VR sickness to affect some user more than others, with focus on sex differences, and 2) to develop adaptation-based strategies that could mitigate VR sickness for all VR users irrespective of their differences.Towards these goals, I first investigate the effectiveness of FOV restriction in reducing VR sickness across genders, and it’s effects on women’s spatial navigation ability. Then, based on findings from the first set of studies, I develop andempirically evaluate a novel adaptive eye gaze-contingent FOV restrictor that allows users to have a wider visual field while blocking their peripheral FOV. The wider visual field would be beneficial for women’s spatial navigation performance
in virtual environments. Finally, I provide a novel standardized adaptation-based training paradigm that supplements existing VR sickness mitigation techniques by allowing the user to best prepare themselves for continued VR use. Evaluation of this strategy suggests that it could reduce and even eliminate VR sickness in susceptible individuals irrespective of their individual differences.