Cybersickness Prevention and Mitigation in Virtual Reality for Healthy Volunteers

Study Description:

This study involves investigation of a virtual reality (VR) experience intended to prevent cybersickness (similar to motion sickness and eye strain) from use of virtual reality equipment. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three arms: active intervention, placebo (a similar VR experience that does not engage sensory systems purported to underlie efficacy), or a notreatment control. Following the intervention, participants will play a VRbased game used in previous research to slowly induce moderate levels of cybersickness in some individuals. During play, we will assess self-reported feelings of discomfort. Participants will be allowed to stop playing at any time or will be asked to stop playing if discomfort reaches a certain threshold. Self-report data will be collected prior to and following the intervention.

Objectives:

Primary Objective: Evaluate efficacy of an approach for prevention of cybersickness symptoms when using virtual reality.

Secondary Objectives: Investigate individual difference factors associated with efficacy; assess mechanisms involved in treatment efficacy

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoint: Self-reported cybersickness symptoms on the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire

Secondary Endpoints: Self-reported cybersickness and duration of stimulus game play. Investigate individual difference factors associated with efficacy; assess mechanisms involved in treatment efficacy

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

• Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
• Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
• Aged 18-60
• Ability to read, speak, and write in English
• Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing
• Normal vision or corrected-to-normal without use of glasses. Contact lenses for corrective purposes are acceptable.

Ability to read, speak and write in English is a requirement because the VR-based study materials and assessment are only available in English and several of the key questionnaires for the study are not validated in other languages.

Exclusion criteria

An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

• Reporting motion sickness propensity of 0, 9 or 10 on a 0-10 scale where 0 =never experience motion sickness and 10 = experience motion sickness very frequently (self-assessed by participants).
• Reporting a history of photo-sensitive seizure disorders, vestibular disorders and/or other conditions that may make participants prone to nausea, dizziness, vertigo, ataxia, or incoordination.
• Known pregnancy
• Reporting current use of medication or supplements that inhibit nausea, e.g., Zofran/ondansetron, Phenergan/promethazine