Search Results (158)

Mitigating in-vehicle VR sickness is a critical challenge for the use of immersive content in autonomous vehicles. In this study, to solve in-vehicle VR sickness, the cause of motion sickness in each field is identified by conducting a scoping review in three fields (medicine, control engineering, and computer engineering). As a result of the confirmation, motion sickness was defined in all three academic fields based on the theory of sensory conflict and posture instability, so we defined and identified seven major SFs based on these universal theories. Based on the defined SF, the analysis of the current research trend confirmed that there is an important research gap that shows that motion-induced motion sickness (MIMS) research focuses on the dynamic control of the vehicle while at the same time overlooks cognitive-sensory factors such as Mismatched Environmental Perception and feedback prediction error. At the same time, visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) research is focused on rendering control elements, which often reduces user immersion. This review suggests the need to focus not only on approaching the form of motion sickness in the vehicle, but also on the possible sensory-cognitive conflict of the passenger in the vehicle. By connecting the three academic fields related to motion sickness, it provides a strategic roadmap for the final in-vehicle content control system. Ultimately, this framework is expected to serve as a fundamental technology resource for in-vehicle content viewing, laying the groundwork for in-vehicle VR content consumption. Full article

This study proposes a dual-modal preview-control framework that combines two filtered-x least-mean-square (FxLMS) algorithms with a Lotus-type modal-force transformation for active suspension systems. Using previewed road information as a common reference, the heave- and pitch-mode FxLMS controllers independently generate a generalized vertical force and pitch moment to reduce sprung-mass vertical acceleration and pitch rate, respectively. These modal commands are mapped to the front and rear actuator forces through a full-rank modal-force transformation defined from the half-car geometry. Although the baseline and proposed architectures use the same two physical actuators, the proposed controller replaces the baseline’s single adaptive rear-force correction with two independently adapted generalized commands, thereby separating the prescribed heave and pitch commands at the command-allocation level. Performance was assessed using conventional ride-comfort and motion-sickness dose measures together with supplementary visual-task-weighted indices. CarSim–MATLAB/Simulink co-simulations were conducted under four selected road-input conditions. Compared with the selected baseline, the proposed architecture produced lower vertical-motion indices in most cases, whereas the relative pitch-response benefit depended on the road input and evaluation metric. These results support further investigation under constrained and experimentally validated conditions. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) survival horror is often discussed in terms of heightened fear and immersion, yet less attention has been paid to how fear is organized across different atmospheric conditions and how this organization differs from non-VR gameplay. This study approaches immersive fear as a process emerging from the interaction among atmospheric configuration, embodied regulation, and post-play interpretation. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed using Resident Evil Village as the empirical context. Study 1 combined scene-based observation, synchronized gameplay recordings, and post-play interviews with eight participants to examine how fear was enacted across three contrasted atmospheric configurations: combat pressure, psychological ambiguity, and spatial disorientation. Study 2 extended this analysis through a within-subject experiment with 30 participants who completed both VR and non-VR versions of the same gameplay content under standardized conditions. The findings show that immersive fear is not a uniform increase in emotional intensity. In Study 1, different atmospheric configurations elicited distinct modes of embodied regulation, including defensive retreat, hesitant exposure, and cautious reorientation, while behavioral responses and retrospective accounts often diverged in systematic ways. In Study 2, paired-samples tests showed that VR produced lower valence, higher arousal, reduced perceived control, higher fear ratings, stronger immersion, and greater motion sickness than non-VR gameplay. Although VR increased fear ratings across all scenes, the display mode × scene interaction was not significant; descriptively, psychologically ambiguous environments produced the highest absolute fear ratings under VR. Across both studies, prior VR and genre experience appeared to shape how players interpreted and narrated threat, while short-term residual effects suggested that fear may extend beyond gameplay. These results suggest that VR modifies not only the intensity but also the organization of fear, while the scene-level and experience-related patterns should be interpreted cautiously. More broadly, the study reframes immersive fear as a temporally distributed process linking atmospheric configuration, embodied regulation, and post-play interpretation in survival horror gameplay. Full article

As VR hardware advances, hardware-related factors inducing motion sickness are expected to be gradually resolved; consequently, software-based mitigation methods are garnering significant attention. While various software-based methods exist, they often rely on modifying the content itself, presenting a significant drawback: difficulty in immediate application to existing content. Meanwhile, the Visual Guide (VG) technique reduces sickness by superimposing a separate image onto the content. This approach offers the distinct advantage of being easily applicable to existing content. However, motion sickness mitigation via visual guides suffers from a drawback: the added imagery can distract from the content, thereby reducing user concentration. To address this, this paper proposes a mitigation method utilizing the transparency of the visual guide to minimize the loss of focus on the content. To evaluate the proposed method, experiments were conducted to collect EEG data, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) scores, and responses to a custom-designed concentration questionnaire. Under the tested conditions, the 60-s fade-out condition showed a favorable descriptive balance between lower mean SSQ score changes and preserved concentration. Because corrected pairwise post-hoc comparisons were not performed and the EEG analysis was based on whole-session average power spectral density, these findings should be interpreted as condition-level trends rather than definitive pairwise or event-related effects. Full article

Motion sickness is expected to become more prevalent in road transportation as passengers increasingly engage in non-driving-related activities under automated driving. This study quantified the relative contributions of exposure time (discrete trial index), physiological signals, and vibration-derived features to motion sickness prediction under controlled road vibration. Thirty-nine participants were exposed to four road profiles reproduced on a motion simulator while electrocardiography (ECG), galvanic skin response (GSR), triaxial head acceleration, and motion sickness ratings were recorded across ten 2 min trials per session during a reading task. Three dataset configurations were compared: exposure time only (type 1), physiological and vibration-derived features only (type 2), and the combined (type 3) dataset. Motion sickness prediction was evaluated using support vector classification, random forest, and XGBoost, and permutation importance was used to assess feature contribution. Across all classifiers, exposure time was ranked as the most important feature, followed by overall root-mean-square, while ECG and GSR contributed at lower levels. The combined dataset achieved the best performance, reaching 77% classification accuracy and R² values up to 0.49. Leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) cross-validation further confirmed the feature importance ranking under subject-level evaluation, while physiological features showed near-zero importance for unseen participants, suggesting their contributions are largely individual-specific. Full article

To validate the validity of a driving simulation platform, this study constructs a dual dataset using field data and driving simulation experiments on an urban arterial road. Comprehensive validation is conducted from both subjective perception and objective quantification perspectives. Subjectively, questionnaires assessed simulation fidelity, driving workload, and physiological symptoms. Objectively, five core car-following indicators (speed, acceleration, relative speed, headway, and time headway) were analyzed using dynamic time warping and statistical methods. The results demonstrate that the simulated scenarios exhibit high subjective fidelity, reasonable task loads, and controllable motion sickness risks. Objectively, dynamic time warping confirms strong temporal pattern similarity, with waveform consistency proportions across core indicators ranging from 91.67% to 100.0%. Macroscopically, satisfactory relative aggregate similarity is demonstrated, with relative difference between means consistently constrained within a 20% threshold. However, strict absolute behavioral validity is unsupported due to significant statistical differences in sequence means, establishing clear boundary constraints for trend replication. It is speculated that systematic biases are primarily related to differences in risk perception within virtual environments. Full article

Gingerol-rich extract derived from Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ZOGE) is clinically effective against motion sickness (MS), yet its mechanism remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that ZOGE confers protection by modulating a specific gut–brain immune–neuroendocrine pathway. Using a rotation-induced rat model combined with behavioral tests, vestibular nuclei (VN) metabolomics, and molecular analyses, we found that ZOGE not only alleviated MS symptoms and normalized VN metabolic disturbances, particularly in phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, but also potently suppressed the peripheral IL-33/ST2/PLC-γ1/TRPA1 signaling axis in the ileum, leading to reduced synthesis and release of 5-HT, a key MS mediator. Our study provides the evidence that ZOGE acts through coordinated central metabolic modulation and peripheral inhibition of a defined pro-emetic pathway, establishing a novel gut–brain immune–neuroendocrine mechanism for its therapeutic efficacy against MS. Full article

Mobile phone use can distract drivers; however, mobile applications may also improve safety by delivering timely traffic and cooperative intelligent transport system warnings. This pilot study evaluated the user experience of the DARS Traffic Plus (DT+) mobile application and examined simulator sickness and affective burden during its use in a professional driving simulator. Thirty-nine participants were recruited and thirty-three completed all scenarios in a within-subject, counterbalanced design. Following a familiarization scenario, participants completed two comparable driving scenarios: one without DT+ support (S1) and one with DT+ support (S2). User experience was assessed using the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), the meCUE 2.0 questionnaire based on the component model of user experience, and a post-interview, while simulator sickness and participant state were measured using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), complemented by exploratory eye-tracking observations. Both UEQ and meCUE 2.0 indicated positive user experience, with generally higher ratings in scenario S2 using the DT+ mobile application. UEQ showed a significant difference for Perspicuity, and meCUE 2.0 showed significantly higher scores for usefulness, visual aesthetics, commitment, intention to use, product loyalty, and overall evaluation. SSQ and FMS showed that simulator sickness effects occurred in a subset of participants. PANAS revealed no significant change in positive affect, while negative affect decreased significantly by the end of the evaluation. The findings suggest that DT+ was positively experienced in the simulator setting and that combining user experience measures with sickness monitoring is useful in simulator-based evaluation of driving-related mobile applications. Full article

This paper presents a comparative evaluation of quarter-car-model-based modular synthesis (QCMS) and full-car-based centralized synthesis (FCCS) for active suspension control in full-car systems. FCCS explicitly accounts for the coupled vertical, pitch, and roll dynamics by incorporating the geometric configuration of the sprung mass; however, this centralized formulation increases model complexity and controller–synthesis effort. In contrast, QCMS reduces the synthesis complexity by designing local suspension controllers using a quarter-car model and applying them modularly to the four suspension corners of a full-car system. Within both synthesis frameworks, linear quadratic (LQ) static output feedback (SOF) controllers and recursive-least-squares/extended-Kalman-filter (RLS/EKF)-based controllers are developed under comparable but structurally different control objectives. In particular, the proposed FCCS framework uses the geometric symmetry of the sprung mass not merely as a modeling assumption but as an explicit force-allocation structure that transforms the desired vertical force, roll moment, and pitch moment into four suspension actuator forces. Thus, four controllers are considered: LQSOF-QCMS and RLS/EKF-QCMS as modular quarter-car-based controllers, and LQSOF-FCCS and RLS/EKF-FCCS as centralized full-car-based controllers. In addition, the computational complexity of the LQSOF- and RLS/EKF-based controllers is compared in terms of their implementation burden. The main contribution of this study is not merely to show that the full-car-based FCCS improves the suppression of coupled body motions, but to clarify, under identical control and simulation conditions, the quantitative trade-off between the modular simplicity of QCMS and the symmetry-based centralized performance of FCCS. These controllers are evaluated through CarSim-based simulations under selected representative road-profile conditions in terms of ride comfort, motion-sickness mitigation, sensor requirements, and implementation complexity. The simulation results show that QCMS offers a low-complexity and modular implementation with acceptable ride-comfort performance, whereas FCCS justifies its increased synthesis and implementation burden when the suppression of coupled vertical, pitch, and roll motions and motion-sickness-related responses is required. Full article

Background/Objectives: Smartphone use during public transit is widespread, yet the combined effects of posture, viewing duration, and sex on visual fatigue and visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) under real commuting conditions remain insufficiently understood. This study examined these factors during smartphone video viewing aboard Taipei MRT carriages. Methods: Forty healthy young adults (20 males, 20 females) completed four randomized conditions crossing two postures (sitting, standing) and two viewing durations (15 min, 30 min). Conditions were administered in a randomized order. Critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF), visual fatigue scale (VFS) scores, viewing distance, and VIMSSQ-short change scores were assessed as primary outcomes and analyzed using three-way mixed ANOVA. Results: Viewing duration produced the largest and most consistent effects across all outcomes (η²p = 0.658–0.969): 30 min viewing yielded greater CFF reduction, higher VFS scores, shorter viewing distance, and elevated VIMS compared with 15 min viewing. Standing posture significantly increased VFS scores, shortened viewing distance, and raised VIMS relative to sitting, though its effect on CFF reduction was not statistically significant. A significant sex × viewing duration interaction emerged with regard to VFS scores, with females showing a steeper increase in subjective fatigue over time, despite no significant sex main effect for any outcome. A significant posture × viewing duration interaction for VIMS indicated that standing was associated with greater VIMS responses during prolonged viewing. Conclusions: Prolonged viewing duration and standing posture are key contributors to smartphone-related visual and motion discomfort in metro environments. Limiting continuous viewing time and preferring a seated posture when using smartphones during commuting are recommended strategies to reduce both visual fatigue and VIMS among healthy young adults; generalizability to broader commuter populations warrants further investigation. Full article

Motorist’s disorientation syndrome (MDS) is seen in 1 to 5% of patients in a tertiary neurotology clinic and remains an underdiagnosed pathology. It was first described in 1985 by Page & Gresty, using the term “visual vertigo”. Patients described sensations of veering or turning over while driving an automobile when visual input was restricted. This was exacerbated at high speeds, on winding roads, going down hills, or when overtaken by a vehicle. All patients in this initial study had peripheral or central neurotological abnormalities and showed exaggerated responses during optokinetic stimulation. Some sufferers considered giving up driving. The first aims of this narrative review were to delineate the symptoms of MDS as detailed in the literature, to outline precipitating situations and to discuss associated pathologies such as anxiety. The second aim was to differentiate MDS from similar syndromes, such as persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) and motion sickness (MS). In addition, we looked at the role of vestibular assessments and discussed the involvement of the otolith organs and semicircular canals. In this review, eight publications were analyzed. MDS is related to a visual-vestibular or a visio-visual conflict and occurs in drivers (both males and females). It is associated with anxiety in 17–39% of cases. Mild vestibular-test abnormalities or exaggerated response to opto-kinetic stimulations are seen in 60–100% of cases. Between 50 and 62% of patients have a migraine history. Convergence and strabismic problems are also often seen. Symptoms usually settle after 6 ± 4 years but can persist for longer in females. MDS is multifactorial, and similar to certain forms of PPPD but different than MS. Its pathophysiology is still in question, and we support the role of the velocity storage integrator as a recent hypothesis. Treatment includes vestibular rehabilitation, virtual reality, cognitive behavioral therapies and orthoptic sessions, and the results are promising. The authors also strongly feel that future research on clarifying MDS pathology should study a wider scope of vestibular assessments to evaluate semicircular canal/otolithic function, as well as the vestibulo-ocular reflex, analyze optokinetic nystagmus time constant, and perform a systematic orthoptic examination. Full article

Background/Objectives: Migraine may be associated with structural changes in the brain, including the cerebellum and brainstem. Some of these changes reflect the brain’s plasticity in adapting to migraine-related alterations, but others may influence the severity of migraines and resistance to treatment. Some studies report changes in cortical thickness among migraine patients, and focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) has been considered a possible cause of these changes. We argued that FCD could contribute to the development of migraine and the severity of its symptoms. To date, there has been no consistent report of FCD occurring in migraine patients. Case: A 29-year-old woman presented with a history of at least 19 years of high-frequency episodic migraine without aura. She experienced motion sickness during childhood and adolescence. Her condition worsened last year, evolving into chronic migraine, which was partially controlled by medications such as amitriptyline and rizatriptan, leading to high-frequency episodic migraines. An MRI conducted in 2024 showed a small area of signal abnormality in the left occipital lobe, believed to represent cortical dysplasia. A follow-up MRI after three months showed no changes in this area. She is currently diagnosed with high-frequency episodic migraine and demonstrated severe migraine-related disability, with a MIDAS score of 25, and a severe impact on daily functioning, with a HIT-6 score of 65. Conclusions: The case involves a worsening migraine that was somewhat alleviated by a pharmacological intervention. FCD may contribute to brain hyperexcitability in this case and her motion-related problems during childhood and adolescence. FCD could also play a role in the increasing severity of her migraines and her partial resistance to medication. Full article

This study presents a virtual disturbance feedforward controller (VDFC) to mitigate motion sickness in vehicles equipped with active suspension systems. Because feedforward control is difficult to implement in practice owing to the limited availability of measurable or estimable road-disturbance information, a half-sine virtual disturbance (HSVD) corresponding to a bump input is introduced and incorporated into the feedforward controller design. The proposed VDFC is integrated with a feedback controller developed from quarter-car and half-car models using linear quadratic static output feedback (LQ SOF) control. Furthermore, to enhance the motion-sickness-mitigation performance of the VDFC, a simulation-based optimization framework is formulated and solved using a heuristic optimization technique. Simulations with bump inputs are carried out in a vehicle dynamics simulation environment using the LQ SOF controller together with the optimized VDFCs. A sensitivity analysis is also performed for the parameters of the optimized virtual disturbance. The results indicate that, under the bump-like excitation conditions considered, the proposed method can improve ride comfort and reduce motion-sickness-related response measures. Full article

Background/Objectives: In a recent article we outlined how the vestibular efferent system connects the stereo/kinociliary complex at the apex of the macular vestibular hair cells of the inner ear and coordinates movement so that planned body movements are precisely timed to coordinate with the expected otoconial movement that the body movement induces. Methods: Our present article proposes an extension of this concept with details about how a sailor develops “sea legs.” The rocking motion of a boat in rough seas requires sailors to sway in order to remain vertical. This causes fluctuation in the gravity-referenced otoconial signal. Results: As a sailor develops sea legs, it is necessary that the routine vestibular efferent system activity (based on gravity-referenced orientation on land) is disrupted as the otoconia move with this rocking process in order to re-coordinate with the new otoconial movement. As a result, the cerebral cortex must reconfigure vestibular efferent activity so that the stereo/kinociliary complex moves in conjunction with the otoconial movement. This process is carried out via the striated organelle (STO) and is one that takes several days. Those who are unfortunate and have severe motion sickness, become extremely unwell with nausea, vomiting, severe unsteadiness, and anorexia during this time. Conclusions: The present article describes how “sea legs” develop and discusses why an unpleasant symptom set can accompany it. We will also outline how a new medication, a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor, which is presently used for the treatment of vestibular dysfunction, has been shown to suppress vestibular efferent activity and may be an effective therapy for these overly symptomatic individuals. Full article

Scopolamine, also known as hyoscine, is a naturally occurring tropane alkaloid derived from plants of the Solanaceae family. Clinically, the compound has long been used for the prevention of motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting, as well as for ophthalmological procedures requiring mydriasis and cycloplegia. However, beyond these established indications, increasing attention has been directed toward its broader neuropharmacological actions. This narrative review aims to summarise current knowledge regarding the pharmacological properties of scopolamine, with particular emphasis on its mechanisms of action and emerging implications in neuroscience and neuropsychiatric disorders. Scopolamine acts as a non-selective antagonist of muscarinic receptor subtypes M1–M5, interfering with cholinergic neurotransmission. Experimental and clinical studies demonstrate that scopolamine induces transient cognitive impairment. This property has led to its widespread use as a pharmacological model of Alzheimer’s disease, enabling investigation of cholinergic contributions to cognitive decline. More recently, several early clinical studies suggested that intravenous administration may produce rapid reductions in depressive symptoms, possibly through modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission and activation of mTORC1-dependent synaptic plasticity pathways in the prefrontal cortex. Nevertheless, subsequent trials have yielded inconsistent results, and the therapeutic relevance of these findings remains uncertain. Current evidence indicates that scopolamine’s neuropsychiatric effects likely arise from complex interactions between cholinergic, glutamatergic, and neurotrophic signalling systems. Taken together, scopolamine represents both a valuable experimental tool for studying cholinergic function and a mechanistic framework for the development of novel therapeutics targeting rapid neuroplastic processes in neuropsychiatric disorders. Full article