SYNC-VR: Synchronizing Your Senses to Conquer Motion Sickness for Enriching In-Vehicle Virtual Reality

Abstract

Passengers can engage more in nondriving-related tasks owing to recent advancements in autonomous vehicles (AVs), making immersive tools such as virtual reality (VR) appealing; however, motion sickness (MS) remains a significant challenge. We present SYNC-VR, a system that aligns with visual, haptic, and auditory cues and provides proprioceptive feedback to illustrate its effect on MS and presence within the in-vehicle VR. We conducted an experiment with 24 participants using a real vehicle along a route with known MS-triggering events. Using subjective and physiological measures, we assessed participants’ presence and MS under four conditions by gradually varying the level of synchronized input sensations. Results reveal that SYNC-VR reduces MS and increases the sense of presence. Additionally, it emphasizes the impact of our interactive VR content and its role in achieving proprioceptive feedback with haptic feedback through electrical muscle stimulation, introducing an innovative approach to MS mitigation in in-vehicle VR.