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Emetic Labs: simulator sickness in videogame players

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Emetic Labs: simulator sickness in videogame players

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EMETIC LABS
Simulator Sickness in Videogame Players

USC IMGD Master's Thesis
Michael Lin
1 April 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Background ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
Concept Development --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6
Versions & Feedback ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
Fall Prototype 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9
Fall Prototype 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
Fall Prototype 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12
Spring Prototype --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13
Analysis Outline --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15
Conclusion---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
Acknowledgments ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18
Appendices --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Bibliography ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34

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INTRODUCTION
Emetic Labs is the collective name for my thesis project, which consists of a game
and a research protocol that are used together to collect data on simulator sickness in
videogame players.

In its current structure, Emetic Labs as a research study consists of three parts: the
survey phase, the experimental phase, and the analysis phase.

1) Survey Phase
An electronic survey (Appendix A) asking about the potential tester's a)
demographics, b) sickness background, and c) gaming background is electronically
distributed. A period of one week is allotted for distribution and data aggregation using the
survey.

2) Experimental Phase
From those who complete the survey, participants for the experimental phase of the
research will be recruited. These players, while under researcher supervision, will play
through the Emetic Labs game while their gameplay and spoken commentary are
documented. Players will be encouraged to speak openly about any simulator sickness
symptoms they experience.

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3) Analysis Phase
The data from the videodocumentation, in-game metrics, and pre-test surveys will
be collected and examined for trends that might point to individual subjects' simulator
sickness triggers and responses.

BACKGROUND
The bulk of prior published research on the subject of simulator sickness pertains to
the use of specific hardware or technology, such as dynamic simulators or head-mounted
displays (Kolasinski) (Pausch, Snoddy, Taylor).

Current research suggests that female and Asian gamers tend to experience
simulator sickness at a higher rate of incidence than gamers of other demographics.
Looking deeper into the subject uncovered a 1995 paper by Kennedy, et al, on gender
differences in sim sickness incidence; and a 1993 paper by Stern, et al, on race differences.

Specifically, the US military has shown interest in predictive research regarding
simulator sickness susceptibility with dynamic simulators (Johnson) (Kolasinski), using
factors such as gender and race. To summarize, the above research indicates that women
(Kennedy 72-73) and people of Chinese descent (Stern 829) exhibit higher rates of
simulator sickness incidence, at a statistically significant level.

More recent research appears to follow technological trends -- as virtual reality
experiences become more common, enabled primarily by head-mounted displays, research
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has been ongoing to expand the scientific understanding of simulator sickness with this
new technology. For example, in a 2011 paper, Moss and Muth of Clemson University
examined the effects of display delay, size distortions, and peripheral vision on simulator
sickness, finding that only the third had a significant impact (Moss 318). A 2012 paper by
Buker, et al, focused on latency in the context of transparent head-mounted displays, using
a method called "predictive compensation" (predicting future head movements to reduce
the apparent effect of latency) to reduce simulator sickness (Buker 236). Previous trends
and themes, such as the study of more comprehensive simulators, continues; for example,
Classen, et al, published a 2011 paper on simulator sickness experienced with driving
simulators.

Rather than studying hardware choices and form factors, this research project will
instead focus on simulator sickness in the more general case of games played in 3D
environments on 2D displays, which has sometimes been obliquely referred to (Buker 235)
but apparently rarely emphasized. Specifically, we will be studying how player in-game
movement responds to the onset of simulator sickness, by examining player metrics
gathered in-game, in parallel with documentation of the players' self-reported simulator
sickness symptoms.

The benefits of focusing on 2D displays over dynamic simulators or head-mounted
displays include logistical simplicity (less specialized hardware is required to conduct
testing); a more general subject group (people who feel sick while playing games are likely
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a subset of people who feel sick in simulators, so data from the former group is more likely
to apply to the latter), and milder symptoms during testing.

The ultimate intentions of this research study are a) to empower players who suffer
from simulator sickness to better understand how to cope with their symptoms during
gameplay, and b) to lay a groundwork for developers who may not have the resources to
conduct their own research on simulator sickness.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
In its original form, Emetic Labs was less scientifically oriented in its focus. The
intent was to build a game that would be likely to make susceptible players feel sick, and
allow them to customize the visual specifications of the in-game camera. "Visual
specifications" in this context refers to variables such as field of view, camera bobbing, and
camera acceleration/deceleration.

The intent was that players could, over time, find the camera settings that made
them most comfortable, and then carry that knowledge to other games. Ideally, most
players could find an acceptable range of settings that would allow them to customize
future gameplay and minimize their chances of getting sick.

On further consideration of both the experimental design and the advice of the
faculty, several factors became apparent that would result in a project of little use to the
intended demographic.
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o Players who are susceptible to simulator sickness are unlikely to voluntarily play
a game that will make them sick, especially if the process of minimizing their
symptoms is open-ended.

o There is no guarantee that players would be able to find a combination of visual
factors that would work for them, wasting both the time they spend making
themselves sick during gameplay and the time on my part spent designing it.

o Players may come to harm if they engage in risky activity (such as driving) after
playing a game designed to induce sickness, which they may not ordinarily do
without a feeling of obligation to my project goals or to me.

o Simulator sickness tends to be the result of a multitude of individual factors
comprising a complete gameplay experience. Consequently, isolating individual
variables (like field of view, camera movement, etc.) to determine how much
they contribute to sickness is difficult even for professionals, much less
layperson gamers who are using trial-and-error.

o Commercial games vary widely in the degree to which their in-game camera can
be customized. Even if a particular player X found the right visual configuration
to make ordinarily sickness-inducing games playable, there is no guarantee that
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the developers of the games that X wants to play would take the time to make
the camera customizable in the necessary fashion.

o With the wide variety of simulated worlds seen in commercial games that induce
simulator sickness, it's very unlikely that the level design in each of those
environments could be navigated just as easily with one set of visual factors as
with another. It's entirely likely that customizing a given game to make it
visually playable would break the design intent in the process.

Essentially, the problem with my original design was that it a) assumed a well-
understood relationship between visual factors and simulator sickness when in fact, the
connections are much less concrete than I realized, and b) by trying to incorporate an
overly informal approach and "empower the player" to solve their own sickness, I was
actually shifting the burden of analyzing and understanding the causes of sim sickness from
the researcher (me) to the player.

In order for Emetic Labs to be meaningfully productive in addressing simulator
sickness, I needed to assume primary responsibility for both the welfare of the players and
the comprehension of any data resulting from the use of my game. In addition, because the
relationship between specific visual factors and sim sickness isn't yet well-enough
understood to reasonably posit that a solution for simulator sickness could be found by
modifying the in-game camera, the focus of Emetic Labs needed to shift from problem
solving to problem comprehension.
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VERSIONS & FEEDBACK
Fall Prototype 1
A basic navigable environment, with ramps for vertical movement and brightly
colored cylinders that gave the walls a regular pattern (serving as depth cues indicating
movement through the space) and jumpable platforms in the center of the area.

The purpose of this prototype was to confirm that a basic 3D environment built in
Unity would successfully induce some degree of simulator sickness in players. Early testing
with classmates who identified as suffering from simulator sickness confirmed that their
symptoms began to set in within their expected time frame.

Fig. 1

During the development of this prototype, "hide-and-seek" was chosen as the
primary mechanic, for a number of reasons:
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1) The rules of hide-and-seek are generally well-understood by most people.
2) It requires the player to look for specific objects while moving, which keeps the
player focused on a goal both mentally and visually.
3) It simulates many of the behaviors that players typically exhibit when playing
commercial games (exploration, item/target recognition, situational awareness).

To that end, a red cube was implemented as the "find" object in the prototype. When
the player gets close to it, it disappears and reappears elsewhere in the environment for
the player to find it.

Fall Prototype 2
For the fall mid-semester review, I developed a new environment that consisted of a point
grid of blocks through which the player must navigate to find the red cube. I also
implemented two possible modes of play:

• "Seek," in which the target object teleports to a new location when found.
• "Chase," in which the target object moves through the environment to a new
location, allowing players to attempt to track it through the environment as it
moves. This was achieved by implementing a Unity NavMesh, which gave the "find"
object the semblance of artificial intelligence for some playtesters.

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At this time during project development, I was planning on creating multiple spaces
that would have different dominant directionalities -- for instance, a stair-filled space that
would encourage vertical movement, and a circular labyrinth for rotational movement. My
primary advisor, Marientina Gotsis, instead recommended that I generalize my focus;
instead of designing entirely new spaces, I should at least first parse the variables
associated with each space (the size, shape, and configuration of obstacles; the presence of
walls; interior vs. exterior environments) so that I would have a good sense of how I could
modify the existing space, if necessary.
In addition, during the fall mid-semester review, Professor Gotsis helped me look
over the first draft of my research survey and gave me extensive feedback on wording,
formatting, and structure.

Fig 2

At this point in implementation, remnants of the original concept still remained in
the form of two adjustable camera variables (field of view and camera sensitivity), which I
programmed with the intention of possibly performing some A/B testing, or at least
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allowing players to adjust the game's camera for their comfort. Ultimately, based on the
more science-driven approach of Emetic Labs following the recommendation of my
advisors, these features will almost certainly be phased out in the final project.

Fall Prototype 3
For the Winter Show, I made a number of changes to the game's environment. I
converted the boxes to cylinders to improve sightlines and to differentiate the obstacles
from the target object in both color and shape. I also added textural detail to the
environment and objects to give the player a better sense of in-game objects' relative depth
and distance.

At the Winter Show, I received very encouraging feedback from testers indicating
that a) a surprisingly high proportion of people were interested in simulator sickness and
were familiar, in varying degrees, with people who suffered from it; and b) my prototype
was successfully inducing some degree of sim sickness reaction while still engaging players
as a game in its own right. Based on playtester reactions during gameplay at both major fall
testing sessions, including those of Professor Tracy Fullerton at the Winter Show, it became
evident that between the Seek and Chase game modes, the Chase mode produced milder
symptoms, better simulated gameplay seen in most commercial sickness-inducing games
by asking the player to track moving objects, and was more fun.

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Fig. 3

Spring Prototype (Current)
Based on the above design considerations, Emetic Labs gradually shifted into the
structure previously mentioned, which embraces the need for videogaming-relevant sim
sickness data with a basis in scientific inquiry. The bulk of work done during the spring
semester on the project has been logistical and/or written -- implementing the final draft of
my simulator sickness survey on Qualtrics for distribution, including flow logic; writing the
Informed Consent Form for test subjects; and more importantly, an application for
Institutional Review Board approval to ensure that my research protocol is safe for the
playtesters I recruit and sufficiently well-documented for other researchers to replicate.

Regarding the actual game environment, low hurdles were added in the game
environment that the player can maneuver around or jump over. The intention with this
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change was to provide an impetus for player behavior change -- for example, if the act of
jumping in the game makes a given player feel sicker, that data may exhibit in a reluctance
to jump over obstacles after the onset of sim sickness symptoms, even if the player herself
is not cognizant of her behavior.

Fig. 4
This final iteration of my research protocol (Appendix B) attempts to gather a broad
spectrum of meaningful data pertaining to each individual subject's

a) susceptibility to simulator sickness (category of first symptom, time to first
symptom onset), and
b) simulator sickness triggers and response (directional tendencies in the game
world before and after first symptom onset).

The final features required for the digital portion of Emetic Labs are the metric
tracking scripts, audio design, and a fully implemented interface, with controller support as
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a possible additional goal. Simultaneously with waiting for IRB approval of the research
protocol prior to experimentation, I will be practicing data analysis on an example set of
data in order to familiarize myself with the appropriate procedures and to screen my
process, with the assistance of my advisors, for flaws in my data manipulation.

ANALYSIS OUTLINE
The Emetic Labs game will sample the following data every X frames, with X
potentially ranging from 1 to 10, depending on how I need to balance game performance
and data resolution:

• Player look direction
• Player position
• Player move direction, relative to look direction
• Number of jumps

Directions and positions are recorded as three-dimensional vectors. The look
direction and player position are recorded in the reference frame of the game world, while
relative movement direction is calculated in the player's reference frame.

The audiorecording of the player's self-reported symptoms, synchronized with
video of their gameplay, provides the following information:

• Symptom progression
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• Time before first symptom onset (T1)
• Time from first symptom onset to gameplay stop (T2)

The above information will allow me to produce the following data visualizations
during the Analysis Phase of the research study. (Specific processes elaborated on in
Appendix C.)

a) X-Z Plane directional tendency (sample diagrams shown below)

Fig. 5
These diagrams show the percentage of the pre- and post-symptom time periods that the player
spent moving in each of the four specified directions. In this sample diagram, the subject analyzed
spent more time moving in a forward direction and less time moving from side to side after the
onset of her symptoms.

b) Jump frequency
c) Average rotational speed
d) Player location heat map

By comparing the above metrics before and after the time of first symptom onset,
we can determine whether or not the player's in-game behavior changes, either
Pre-Symptom Onset Post-Symptom Onset
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consciously or subconsciously, as the result of their symptoms. These results, along with a
comparison along demographic lines vs. simulator sickness susceptibility (quantified by
time to symptom onset and self-reported symptom severity), will form the results pool for
Emetic Labs.

CONCLUSION
The trajectory of this project has generally moved towards a narrowing of scope and
a greater scientific emphasis. Emetic Labs as originally conceived had a comparatively
casual approach to the underlying science of simulator sickness, placing an irresponsible
amount of faith in the players to find their own solution with minimal training using a tool
that I would simply have designed and distributed.

As I received more feedback from faculty about the challenges of isolating variables
associated with sim sickness, in addition to considering the importance of making sure the
contribution of Emetic Labs is both meaningful and valid, the focus for Emetic Labs radically
shifted to a scope that is more scientific in its intent while still remaining informal and
broad enough (by not setting a definite hypothesis) to ensure that at least some of the
conclusions drawn will be useful.

After its conclusion, this project will seek to publish its findings in a formal research
paper, for the benefit of simulator sickness-susceptible videogame players and the
developers of videogames that tend to cause simulator sickness in those players. Further
research will likely pursue interesting lines of study, such as the effect of cognitive learning
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style on simulator sickness suggested by "Gender Differences In Simulator Sickness
Incidence" (Kennedy 73).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to my thesis committee members Marientina Gotsis, Dennis Wixon,
and Marleigh Norton for their invaluable input, as well as to Dr. Robert S. Kennedy for his
insights and assistance.

APPENDIX A

Demographics/Sickness/Gaming Survey
Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Interactive Media & Games Division
University Park, SCA 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90089

EMETIC LABS

You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies
include only people who voluntarily choose to take part. This document
explains information about this study. You should ask questions about
anything that is unclear to you.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Emetic Labs is a research study looking into simulator sickness in
videogame players, beginning with an electronic survey to gather data on
players' demographics, sickness background, and gaming background. The
knowledge gained from this research will hopefully be used to make future
videogames more accessible to people who experience simulator sickness,
so that players will have greater freedom to play the types of games they
would like to play.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an
online survey, which should take roughly 5 to 10 minutes. You may answer
as many or as few questions as you are comfortable answering. You may
click "next" or the ">>" symbol to proceed to the next question.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION

You will receive no monetary compensation for your participation.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Your e-mail address, if you choose to give it, and the specific results of
your survey will be stored on a password-protected laptop and will not be
distributed. E-mail addresses collected during the survey will not be linked
to individual survey results and will be destroyed following the research.
No other identifying information will be collected.

The members of the research team and the University of Southern
California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the
data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights
and welfare of research subjects.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Principal Investigator Michael Lin can be contacted via e-mail at
linmt@usc.edu or phone at 757-344-5333. Faculty Advisor Marientina
Gotsis can be contacted via e-mail at marientina@yahoo.com.

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower
Street #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or
upirb@usc.edu
Demographic Questions
DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS
The following questions will ask about your demographic category.
How old are you?
Male
Female
Other
White
Black
Asian/Pacific Islander
American Indian/Alaska Native
Hispanic
Other
Don't know/Not sure
Yes, I mostly wear glasses.
Yes, I mostly wear contacts.
No, I see well enough without corrective lenses.
Nearsighted
What gender do you identify as?
What is your race? (Check all that apply.)
Visual System
VISUAL SYSTEM
The following questions will ask about your vision and eyesight.
Do you wear corrective lenses?
Without corrective lenses, are you
Farsighted
I have perfect vision
I don't know
Other
Yes
No
I don't know
Yes
No
First-person games (games where you see through the eyes of your character)
Third-person games (games where you follow behind your character on the screen)
Top-down/isometric games (games where you see your character from above)
Racing or driving games
Flight simulator games
Do you have any kind of color blindness?
Gaming Background
GAMING BACKGROUND
The following questions will ask about your background playing video
games.
Have you played any kind of video game in the last month?
(This includes games that you play on your computer, on Facebook, on a
console, on your phone, etc.)
What kind of games have you played in the last month? (Check all that
apply.)
Arcade/casual games
Other
Personal computer screen
Television set
Gaming handheld (Nintendo DS/3DS, Playstation Vita, etc.)
Mobile device (mobile phone, tablet computer, etc.)
Other
Driving a car
Riding in a car, bus, or train
Reading or playing a game in a car, bus, or train
Riding in a airplane
Reading or playing a game in an airplane
Riding a theme park ride
What display platforms have you used to play games in the last month?
(Check all that apply.)
What was the most recent game that you played?
Sickness Background
SICKNESS BACKGROUND
The following questions will ask about your experience with motion and
simulator sickness.
In what circumstances do you regularly experience simulator sickness or
motion sickness? (Check all that apply.)
Other
Yes, frequently
Yes, occasionally
Never
First-person games (games where you see through the eyes of your character)
Third-person games (games where you follow behind your character on the screen)
Top-down/isometric games (games where you see your character from above)
Racing or driving games
Flight simulator games
Arcade/casual games
Other
Within the past week
Within the past month
Within the past year
More than a year ago
Have you ever begun to feel sick while playing a video game?
What types of games generally make you feel sick? (Check all that apply.)
What was the most recent game that you played that made you feel sick?
When was the last time you felt sick while playing a video game?
The last time that you felt sick while playing a video game, did you begin to
feel sick after playing for:
Less than 10 minutes?
More than 10 minutes but less than 30 minutes?
More than 30 minutes?
Don't know/Don't remember
Nausea
Headache
Sleepiness
Sweating
Dizziness
Fatigue
Eye strain
I don't remember
Other
Immediately
After a few minutes
After half an hour or more
Feeling sick doesn't affect how long I play
Yes (if so, please elaborate)
No
When you last felt sick while playing a video game, what symptom did you
notice first?
After you first begin to feel sick while playing video games, do you stop
playing:
Is there anything you do to prevent feeling sick BEFORE you start playing
games?
Yes (if so, please elaborate)
No
Yes (if so, please elaborate)
No
Yes (if so, please give examples)
No
Yes (if so, please write your e-mail address below)
No
Is there anything you do to avoid or reduce feelings of sickness DURING
gameplay?
Is there anything you do AFTER playing a game to help relieve feelings of
sickness?
Are there any games that don't make you feel sick, even though you think
they should?
Please indicate below if you might be willing to participate in a simulator
sickness research experiment. (Indicating a response of "yes" does not
obligate you to participate.)
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APPENDIX B - TESTING PROCEDURES
(adapted from Institutional Review Board application)

Methods And Procedures

The key steps for this research study are as follows:
1) Survey Completion (10 minutes): An online survey will be distributed to individuals an
e-mail lists likely to include people who play videogames and/or suffer from simulator
sickness, with instructions to distribute the survey further beyond the original survey
group. The survey includes questions about the subject's

1) demographics,
2) eyesight,
3) video gaming background, and
4) motion/simulator sickness background.

2) Subject Screening: A subset of survey respondents will be contacted to request
participation in the testing portion of the experiment, based on their simulator sickness
susceptibility, demographics, and logistical ease of access. Ideal testing subjects

1) have little to no disability in eyesight or manual manipulation of controls,
2) have some level of familiarity with first-person videogames, and
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3) be local to the Los Angeles area.

The testing group will include a mix of subjects who are and are not susceptible to
simulator sickness.

3) Testing And Observation: Subjects who agree to do so will be tested in person using
the following procedure.

3a) Consent (10 minutes): Subjects will be given a consent form explaining the experiment
and its associated risks and benefits. If they consent to the experiment, they will proceed to
the next step.

3b) Pre-Test (10 minutes): Subjects will be seated in front of a computer with their control
method of choice (XBOX 360 PC-compatible controller, or mouse and keyboard). They will
be verbally encouraged to speak freely regarding the timing and severity of any feelings of
sickness, and it will be reiterated that they can stop at any time.

3c) Testing and Observation (5-30 minutes): Player will play the game and give real-time
feedback on any symptoms they are experiencing, and both gameplay and feedback will be
documented with a video camera recording the gameplay environment and the player's
voice, excluding their appearance for privacy reasons. As soon as the player feels they no
longer wish to continue, they can stop playing and move into the recovery phase.

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3d) Recovery (15-30 minutes): After they have completed testing, players will be asked to
remain onsite for at least 15 minutes in a quiet recovery area where they can listen to
music, consume provided food and drink, and lie down. The intention is to return the
tester to a pre-test sickness state as comfortably as possible. Depending on symptom
severity, special arrangements for the test subject to be conveyed safely home may also be
made.

3e) Post-Test Survey (3 minutes): A short debriefing survey will be administered to the
subject before they leave the testing area asking them to compare the experimental testing
experience to typical sickness-inducing gameplay in other contexts.

4) Data Analysis: The collected video documentation, testing notes, survey information,
and gameplay metrics will primarily be analyzed for:

1) trends within and between simulator sickness sufferers and non-sufferers,
2) directional movement up until simulator sickness onset,
3) changes in movement behavior before and after sickness onset , and
4) first symptoms and time until onset.

5) Results Distribution: Any results found during data analysis will be compiled for
publication, and each testing participant will receive a summary of the conclusions drawn
from their gameplay metrics to help them inform future videogame consumer decisions.

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APPENDIX C - ANALYSIS PROCEDURES

Basic Metrics
(1) Player look direction
(2) Player position
(3) Player move direction, relative to look direction
(4) Number of jumps
(5) Symptom progression
(6) Time of first symptom onset

Metrics 1-4 are recorded by scripts in the Unity engine and output as text files,
which can then be imported into an analysis software such as SPSS or Microsoft Excel.
Metrics 5-6 will be taken from the audiorecordings of the players and/or notes taken by
researchers during playtesting.

Derived Metrics
(I) X-Z Plane directional tendency
For each cardinal direction in the X-Z plane (+x, -x, +z, -z), if the player is moving
in that direction, the magnitude of their speed in that direction is added to a
running total for that direction (Σ(+x), Σ(-x), Σ(+z), Σ(-z)). Negative movement
in each direction is positive movement in its conjugate direction, and is therefore
ignored -- otherwise, the end sum would partially cancel out.

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(II) Jump frequency
Pre- and post-symptom onset number of jumps over the corresponding times
provide average values showing the approximate willingness of the player to
jump with or without experiencing simulator sickness.

(III) Rotational speed
Calculating the angle between the player's look direction from each frame and
the preceding frame, divided by the time between frames, gives the rotational
velocity of the player character. The final graphic is derived by graphing
rotational velocity over time and noting the boundary between pre- and post-
symptom onset.

(IV) Player location heat map
Generating a scatterplot of the player character's location at each sample frame
and overlaying it on a map of the game space should show how players prefer to
navigate around the in-game obstacles.

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RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY
Buker, T. J., D. a. Vincenzi, and J. E. Deaton. “The Effect of Apparent Latency on Simulator
Sickness While Using a See-Through Helmet-Mounted Display: Reducing Apparent
Latency With Predictive Compensation.” Human Factors: The Journal of the Human
Factors and Ergonomics Society 54.2 (2012): 235–249. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Classen, Sherrilene, Megan Bewernitz, and Orit Shechtman. “Driving Simulator Sickness: An
Evidence-Based Review of the LIterature.pdf.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy
65.2 (2011): 179–188. Print.
Draper, Mark H. “Can Your Eyes Make You Sick ?: Investigating the Relationship between the
Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex and Virtual Reality.” Human Interface Technology Laboratory
Technical Report HITL-96.3 (1996): 1–17. Print.
Handbook of Driving Simulation for Engineering, Medicine, and Psychology (Google eBook).
CRC Press, 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Johnson, David M. Introduction to and Review of Simulator Sickness Research. Arlington, VA:
N. p., 2005. Print.
Kawano, Naoko et al. “Slower Adaptation to Driving Simulator and Simulator Sickness in Older
Adults.” Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 24.3 (2012): 285–289. Print.
Kennedy, Robert S; Lanham, D. Susan; Massey, Catherine J; Drexler, Julie M. “Gender
Differences in Simulator Sickness Incidence- Implications for Military Virtual Reality
Systems.pdf.” 1994 : n. pag. Print.
Kolasinski, Eugenia M. “Simulator Sickness in Virtual Environments.” 1995 : n. pag. Print.
Moss, Jason D, Eric R Muth, and South Carolina. “Characteristics of Head-Mounted Displays
and Their Effects on Simulator Sickness.” (2010): n. pag.
Mourant, Ronald R, and Robert S Kennedy. “Human Factors Issues in Virtual Environments.”
7.4 (1998): 327–351. Print.
Parallax, Motion. “Depth Cues in Virtual Reality and Real World :” (2000): n. pag. Print.
Pausch, Randy et al. “Disney’s Aladdin : First Steps Toward Storytelling in Virtual Reality
University of Virginia.” 23rd Annual Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive
Techniques. New Orleans, LA: N. p., 1996. 193–205. Print.
Stern, Robert M. et al. “Chinese Hyper-Susceptibility to Vection-Induced Motion Sickness.”
Aviation, space, and environmental medicine 64.9 (1993): 827–830. Print.
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Uliano, K.C. et al. The Effects of Asynchronous Visual Delays on Simulator Flight Performance
and the Development of Simulator Sickness Symptomatology. Orlando, Florida: N. p., 1986.
Print.
Wilkins, Arnold Jonathan, and Bruce J W Evans. “Visual Stress, Its Treatment with Spectral
Filters, and Its Relationship to Visually Induced Motion Sickness.” Applied ergonomics
41.4 (2010): 509–15. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Simulator sickness is a physiological phenomenon similar to motion sickness that occurs in a number of contexts of media engagement, including videogame play. Emetic Labs is a game and research protocol intended for the study of simulator sickness in relation to videogames. The goal of Emetic Labs is to gather data from people who suffer from simulator sickness in games, first by collecting electronic survey data, then by observing people as they play a game in a controlled environment. The data will be analyzed to determine if there are trends between a) the demographics of videogame players, b) how a player navigates through the game world while feeling healthy or sick, and c) the time it takes for those players to experience sickness.

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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

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Asset Metadata

Creator Lin, Michael T. (author)

Core Title Emetic Labs: simulator sickness in videogame players

School School of Cinematic Arts

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Interactive Media

Publication Date 04/28/2014

Defense Date 04/18/2014

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Interactive Media,motion sickness,OAI-PMH Harvest,simulator sickness,videogames

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Gotsis, Marientina (committee chair), Norton, Marleigh (committee member), Wixon, Dennis (committee member)

Creator Email michael.tsai.lin@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-404201

Unique identifier UC11295448

Identifier etd-LinMichael-2430.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-404201 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-LinMichael-2430.pdf

Dmrecord 404201

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Lin, Michael T.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA