What They Say
In a test in Australia, 36 participants played a VR game called Beat Saber, using an HMD for 10 minutes and 50 minutes. Although headsets have improved (and an HTC Vive Pro was used for the test), 14% reported high levels of sickness in the late test period after playing 50 min of Beat Saber. Although the study found no strong evidence for adverse symptoms 40 min after exiting VR, some individuals still reported high levels of VR sickness at this stage. Some changes in accommodation and vergence were seen at the end of use, these changes faded quite quickly.
The researchers suggest waiting a while after playing to drive a car or do any “higher-risk” activities, to ensure that the after effects are fully gone.
What We Think
One of the conclusions of the report is that those that experience discomfort feelings early on might as well stop as the effects are likely to last longer as time goes on. More than twenty years ago, I wrote a report on virtual reality that pointed out that although they would get more realistic, the probability was the as the experience became more realistic, more human factors issues might come to light. So, more research is going to be needed and welcomed. (BR)
