Motion sickness is one of the most common forms of nausea that one experiences. It is caused when your brain gets mixed signals and it cannot process the things around simultaneously. It makes you feel light-headed and woozy while traveling.
The sickness is not limited to traveling, you can experience this type of nausea while gaming using a VR headset also. Your brain here cannot find an equilibrium ground between your virtual environment and your body. If you suffer from motion-sickness and looking for more information about it, then look no further we here to unravel all the aspects about it and explore ways to manage the symptoms.
Symptoms Of Motion Sickness Caused By VR
The symptoms of VR motion sickness are analogous to any other kind of sickness caused by simulations that strains the brain. They can be:
- Eyes strain and foggy vision
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Fatigue
- Disoriented mind
The symptoms are not just limited to the above list. Different people experience different symptoms with different severity.
Susceptibility To VR Motion Sickness
It has been noted that some people experience the symptoms of VR sickness more aggressively than others. But is there is a reason for it? Can some factors make you more susceptible to cybersickness? Well, the answer is yes! Let’s have a look at these factors.
- Age – Younger people who lie between the age of 2-12 are more susceptible to getting sick while using a VR headset. As you mature, your system gets more acclimatized to the VR world.
- Sex – Owing to the hormonal changes, women are more likely to get VR sickness while gaming.
- Physiology – If you have a poor posture then you are highly prone to disorientation caused by the VR headsets.
- Experience – A novice gamer or user can take some time getting used to the knacks of VR.
VR sickness can last for 10 minutes to even 4 hours depending upon the level of your susceptibility to the above conditions.
What Causes VR Motion Sickness?
Several factors can make you feel dizzy while using a VR headset. You need to know these factors so that you can make a wise decision about the purchase and usage of your VR headset and experiences.
- Degree of freedom of VR headset – A smaller degree of freedom can restrict your movements and disorient you. It is always better to have a VR headset with a greater DoF gives you more spatial recognition and minimizes the feeling of dizziness.
- Latency – Latency is caused when there is a lag between the time it takes for your motions to be converted into VR. It confuses your brain and triggers disorientation and loss of balance. A lot of VR companies are working ardently to solve this issue
- VR Accessories – To make the best out of your VR experience, you need to make sure that you have a sensitive controller and perfectly fitted headset. If the controller is not sensitive enough then it can create conflicts in your brain and if the headset is not well made then the blood circulation in your brain is hampered which causes a woozy feeling and blurry vision.
- Positioning and movement of your eyes – If the movement of your eyes is not congruent to the VR experience then it hampers your stability and makes you light-headed.
- Body language and physical movements – Incongruous physical motion of your body to the VR experiences can also cause motion sickness
What are the consequences of prolonged motion sickness in VR?
Motion sickness does not only hamper your gaming experience it also hampers activities related to:
- Medical training is done using VR
- Pilot simulations
- Nausea while meditating using VR devices
How To Minimize And Prevent Motion Sickness?
If you are experiencing VR sickness, you should slow down and take a break from gaming. If you continue playing while feeling dizzy then it will become your body’s default response to any VR activity that you do.
Here are some tips for you to prevent being motion sick by VR.
Check your VR setup – You should always keep a check on your VR setup and make sure that:
- Headsets fit you perfectly.
- Controllers are motion-sensitive.
- You have enough space to move around
- Have good air circulation in your room
Build a rhythm – It is advised that you do not jump right away into hardcore VR gaming. Start slowly and move abreast to maintain a rhythm of motion and build tolerance for lofty movements. The best way to do that is to sit and game before you are comfortable standing and gaming.
Prevent the motion sickness naturally – You can use some of the natural ways to avoid motion sickness. Some of them are: –
- Do not overeat before gaming
- Use chewing gum while gaming
- Hydrate yourself frequently
- Use ginger of peppermint tea to ease your nerves if you suffer from nausea
Relief Bracelets- Relief band stimulates your nerves by producing gentle vibrations. This keeps your body right on track and avoids motion sickness
These were some things that you can try while gaming using VR to avoid motion sickness. But what are the technologies that the VR producers are undertaking to minimize motion sickness? Let’s explore them.
- High definition headsets with low latency
- Fixation points in games limit the movements and equalize the effort of VR and your physical movements
- Sensitive controllers that translate your movements to VR seamlessly.
- Surround seating with virtual infrastructure to enhance the comfort of gaming.
Road Ahead
Motion sickness is a very humane problem and despite all the efforts taken from both sides, we cannot completely do away with it. However, we can very well manage the symptoms and enjoy our gaming experience to the fullest. You can trust some brands like Oculus, Sony, HTC, and more as they are spending a lot of time developing technologies that can ease the process of gaming for you. There are also some experiences like Dreadhalls, Audioshield, The Assembly, and Chronos that you can enjoy without getting cybersickness.
Hope this blog helped you with VR motion sickness. Happy gaming!