Game play in virtual reality driving simulation involving head-mounted display and comparison to desktop display

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Virtual Reality. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-019-00412-xPrevious studies have reported the effect of driving simulator games on simulator sickness and eye symptoms experienced by users; however, empirical results regarding the game experience using commercial virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR-HMDs) are lacking. We conducted an experiment where participants played a driving simulator game (Live for Speed) displayed through an Oculus Rift DK2 for up to 120 min. Game play duration was recorded. Game experience was surveyed using questionnaires about simulator sickness, eye symptoms, and game engagement. The results showed that the average game play duration for this specific driving simulation game was approximately 50 min. Simulator sickness was negatively correlated with affordable play duration using the VR-HMD. We also found that age was negatively correlated with game play duration. There were no differences between those who did and did not wear frame glasses. In addition, we compared the VR-HMD game play and traditional desktop LCD game play, in terms of simulator sickness, subjective eye symptoms, game engagement, and game performance. The results showed that VR-HMD game play in the driving simulation game was similar to the experience using the desktop LCD display, except for a moderately increased level of simulator sickness. These findings provide new data about VR-HMD’s impact on game play and will inform game designers, players, and researchers for their choices and decisions on proper game duration and the type of devices.This research was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Grants RPIN-05394 and RGPAS-477166 to BT, and RGPIN-2015-04134 to SC

Mitigation Of Motion Sickness Symptoms In 360 Degree Indirect Vision Systems

The present research attempted to use display design as a means to mitigate the occurrence and severity of symptoms of motion sickness and increase performance due to reduced “general effects” in an uncoupled motion environment. Specifically, several visual display manipulations of a 360° indirect vision system were implemented during a target detection task while participants were concurrently immersed in a motion simulator that mimicked off-road terrain which was completely separate from the target detection route. Results of a multiple regression analysis determined that the Dual Banners display incorporating an artificial horizon (i.e., AH Dual Banners) and perceived attentional control significantly contributed to the outcome of total severity of motion sickness, as measured by the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). Altogether, 33.6% (adjusted) of the variability in Total Severity was predicted by the variables used in the model. Objective measures were assessed prior to, during and after uncoupled motion. These tests involved performance while immersed in the environment (i.e., target detection and situation awareness), as well as postural stability and cognitive and visual assessment tests (i.e., Grammatical Reasoning and Manikin) both before and after immersion. Response time to Grammatical Reasoning actually decreased after uncoupled motion. However, this was the only significant difference of all the performance measures. Assessment of subjective workload (as measured by NASA-TLX) determined that participants in Dual Banners display conditions had a significantly lower level of perceived physical demand than those with Completely Separated display designs. Further, perceived iv temporal demand was lower for participants exposed to conditions incorporating an artificial horizon. Subjective sickness (SSQ Total Severity, Nausea, Oculomotor and Disorientation) was evaluated using non-parametric tests and confirmed that the AH Dual Banners display had significantly lower Total Severity scores than the Completely Separated display with no artificial horizon (i.e., NoAH Completely Separated). Oculomotor scores were also significantly different for these two conditions, with lower scores associated with AH Dual Banners. The NoAH Completely Separated condition also had marginally higher oculomotor scores when compared to the Completely Separated display incorporating the artificial horizon (AH Completely Separated). There were no significant differences of sickness symptoms or severity (measured by self-assessment, postural stability, and cognitive and visual tests) between display designs 30- and 60-minutes post-exposure. Further, 30- and 60- minute post measures were not significantly different from baseline scores, suggesting that aftereffects were not present up to 60 minutes post-exposure. It was concluded that incorporating an artificial horizon onto the Dual Banners display will be beneficial in mitigating symptoms of motion sickness in manned ground vehicles using 360° indirect vision systems. Screening for perceived attentional control will also be advantageous in situations where selection is possible. However, caution must be made in generalizing these results to missions under terrain or vehicle speed different than what is used for this study, as well as those that include a longer immersion time

Development of a Driver Behavior Framework for Manual and Automated Control Considering Driver Cognition

As a crucial component of traffic safety, operational quality, and network performance, driver behavior has been the subject of numerous studies. However, research has focused primarily on descriptive mathematical models of the primary driving tasks (car-following, lane changing), while rarely considering the underlying human factors affecting driver behavior. This quality of existing models means that they are not generally capable of adapting to systemic changes in driving behavior. At the same time, vehicle automation, one of the most revolutionary innovations in the history of transportation, advances at a very rapid pace. This development will result in deep systemic changes in the driver role and behavior, during the unavoidable transition period towards fully automated transportation networks, which the existing descriptive models are ill equipped to predict. To achieve that, additional information about driver behavior derived from the field of cognitive sciences, and psychological constructs like cognitive workload and situational awareness, need to be integrated into driving behavior models in order to describe the driver state under various levels of automation. This research aims to fill that gap by proposing a robust driver behavior framework that takes into account human factors and can be applied to both traditional manual driving, as well as driving of vehicles with varied automation capabilities. Based on a comprehensive literature review, the study proposed an experimental methodology, and a data collection and analysis plan that can validate the behavioral framework for use in future transportation applications