This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Villard, S. J. Articles by Stoffregen, T. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Villard, S. J. Articles by Stoffregen, T. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Postural Instability and Motion Sickness in a Virtual Moving Room

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Moira B. Flanagan

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Gina M. Albanese

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Thomas A. Stoffregen

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, tas{at}umn.edu

Objective: We examined motion sickness in an oscillating virtual environment presented via a video projector system. Background: Visible oscillation of the physical environment is known to induce both postural instability and motion sickness, but it cannot be assumed that the same phenomena will occur in a virtual simulation of such motion. Method: Standing participants (3 men and 9 women, 20—22 years of age) were exposed to oscillation of a virtual room. The stimulus was a computer-generated simulation of a laboratory device that is known to induce postural instability and motion sickness. Participants viewed the simulation for up to 40 min and were instructed to discontinue if they experienced symptoms of motion sickness. Results: Motion sickness incidence (42%) did not differ from that in studies using the corresponding physical moving room. Prior to motion sickness onset, the sick group exhibited changes in movement, relative to the well group, as predicted by the postural instability theory of motion sickness. Differences in movement between the sick and well groups developed over time, in contrast with previous studies using physical moving rooms, in which such movement differences have not evolved. Conclusion: The results indicate that changes in postural activity precede motion sickness that is induced by an oscillating virtual environment, but they also reveal differences in postural responses to virtual and physical motion environments. Application: Potential applications of this research include recommendations for the use of virtual environments as models for perception and action in physical environments.

Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 50, No. 2, 332-345 (2008)
DOI: 10.1518/001872008X250728


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. A. Stoffregen, E. Faugloire, K. Yoshida, M. B. Flanagan, and O. Merhi Motion Sickness and Postural Sway in Console Video Games Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, April 1, 2008; 50(2): 322 - 331. [Abstract] [PDF]