Effects of speed, complexity and stereoscopic VR cues on cybersickness examined via EEG and self-reported measures

This study evaluated the interplay between environmental cues in virtual reality (VR) and cybersickness as experienced by users of head-mounted displays (HMDs). Utilizing electroencephalogram (EEG) data and self-reported discomfort measures, the effects of three major VR cues – speed, scene complexity, and stereoscopic rendering – on cybersickness were examined, with the latter being of particular interest as it had not previously been studied explicitly in the context of VR-HMDs. Self-reported discomfort was assessed through in-VR single-item queries and post-VR simulator sickness questionnaires, accounting for both immediate and persistent cybersickness, respectively, and over three experiment sessions, accounting for the effects of accumulation. Analysis revealed connections that indicate a relationship between EEG data and the presence of cybersickness for all three cue types. Significant differences were observed in EEG relative power changes between the trials where cybersickness was and was not reported. EEG relative power changes were also linked to both immediate and persistent cybersickness, especially in the theta and gamma frequency bands. The increase in immediate discomfort with the stereoscopic rendering cues over successive sessions suggests a decrease in tolerance to these effects over time.