by max.fruehwirt -

07 | Beyond the virtual: Motion sickness and other accessibility problems when navigating the virtual realm

What this blogpost is all about

Continuing the notion of my previous blogpost of understanding VR, AR, MR and XR along with their strengths and weaknesses, this post aims to also provide insight into the different problems one may be confronted with when designing for or engaging with these technologies on the regular and how to best solve them. At this point, it is necessary to mention already, that, while this blogpost will provide a broad overview about the different challenges one may face along with some possible solutions, it is in no way a complete guide yet, as my research into this topic is still ongoing and thus, incomplete.

Discomfort, accessibility and other challenges

To provide a widely accessible, engaging and also comfortable and immersive experience it is important to address a multitude of issues that the user may experience, when engaging with VR, AR or MR. By being aware of said issues as well as their implications to the experience and how to solve them, a much more complex and immersive experience can be created.

Motion sickness and other discomforts

Extended exposure to virtual environments, be it via VR, AR or MR, can lead to a wide variety of discomforts, when not handled and prepared for accordingly.

Simulator sickness, which is a special type of motion sickness, occurs, when our visual and vestibular system receive conflicting information. This can happen, for example, when the visual display or overlayed displayed object suggest rapid motion, but the user’s body senses no corresponding movement. The resulting mismatch in information can lead to disorientation, nausea and discomfort.

Furthermore, extended exposure to close-up virtual objects or displays can leade to both eye strain and general fatigue, as the eye has to constantly strain to focus. This strain may be even increased, if the eye has to constantly focus on rapidly moving objects or re-focus due to overlays, interfaces or similar displayed objects moving back and forth or rapidly in and out of focus.

Last but not least, when switching between AR and VR – which may mainly occur when working with MR solutions – ,but also when switching between AR or VR and the real world, user’s may experience a short bout of spatial disorientation. This may happen, when the transition between the virtual and the real environment is either to abrupt or not enough spatial clues are present in either the virtual or the real environment for the user to orient themselves. This can then cause disorientation, dizziness or short emotional distress.

Accessibility and impairments

Another thing to consider when dealing with artificial environments is accessibility for people with certain sensibilities or impairments. To create an inclusive and immersive experience, a number of challenges have to be considered.

As VR and AR experiences currently heavily rely on visual elements and their space cues, it is very easy to exclude users with visual impairments. Whether it be complete blindness, colour blindness or other similar disabilities, a number of things needs to be considered to make the experience as inclusive as possible.
In a similar vain, people with auditory, cognitive or motor impairments may have trouble interacting with the created environment as well. Be it challenging motion-based inputs, complex interfaces, information overload or lack of adaptability, users may find an interaction to be needlessly challenging for them and thus feel excluded from the experience, unless ample consideration is given.
This, of course, is also true for users with special sensory sensitivities, such as to bright lights, loud sounds or intense vibrations.

As such, accessibility needs to always be considered when designing in and for such environments.

Possible solutions and their integration

These considerations may seem challenging and / or limiting at first, however, they can also be understood as a chance to create a more immersive, comfortable and holistic experience for the user. When designing virtual environments, it is important to constantly question oneself, whether or not ample consideration for the described challenges has been given and remember some of the solutions described below.

Comfort and customisation

To increase the user’s long-time immersion, and comfort while doing so, a number of small changes and customisation choices can already make a huge difference.

One such change is in how the software is structured in the first place. To give an example, by including different options to adjust volume or brightness of the headset, but also providing different levels of haptic feedback, the whole experience can be customised to fit people of different sensibilities. In the same vein, allowing for the adjustment of the displayed colours or sounds or adding audio descriptive elements can also provide more inclusivity for people with auditory or visual impairments. Following this approach, the chance of motion sickness occuring can also be decreased, by allowing the user to choose settings such as movement speed, field of view and add comfort vignettes, that allow the user to find settings, that minimise their overall discomfort when being exposed to VR or MR environments for an extended amount of time.

HaptX haptic feedback gloves

Sony’s accessability controller, compatible with the new PS5 and PS VR

Another way to increase comfort would be by making adjustments to the hardware and how the user may engage with it. Using headsets with reduced latency or the currently trending inside-out tracking, for example, can both reduce motion sickness by boosting the sense of being present within the current environment and also reduce the weight and thus discomfort the user is exposed to long-term while interacting with the digital environment, be it AR, VR or MR. Similarly, combining modern headsets with custom accessibility controllers or even haptic feedback gloves, a variety of different modes of interaction can be provided, that could potentially lead to a more inclusive environment. A few solutions hereby would be tracking gestures of different body parts and allowing for gesture or voice controls as alternative input methods for people unable to use more conventional controllers or adjusting the haptic feedback to provide more or less information depending on the user’s other sensory capabilities.

Control and adaptability

To conclude the described solutions, providing the user with a maximum amount of control, thus allowing them to adapt the experience to fit their specific needs, can greatly boost both inclusivity and immersion. This may seem like an obvious conclusion, at a glance, but the fact that there is still new technologies and ways being developed to create an even better immersive experience for the wide variety of user needs hints at the opposite. As such, it is paramount to always consider your targeted end user while developing and frequently question yourself not only how to best experience a created environment, but also the challenges some users may face when doing so and to react accordingly.

Next steps:

  • Look into immersive environments and how to create then
  • Check methods of engagement and interaction within these digital environments
  • Research into immersion and storytelling
  • Look into interactivity in VR, AR and MR
  • Check interaction solutions for VR, AR and MR

Sources:

1. Creed, C., Al-Kalbani, M., Theil, A. et al. Inclusive AR/VR: accessibility barriers for immersive technologies. Univ Access Inf Soc (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-00969-0 online in: https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2304/2304.13465.pdf [08.02.2024].
2. n.A.: Why VR (& VR Headsets) Can Cause Serious Eye Strain & Pain, in: NVision, 2023, https://www.nvisioncenters.com/education/vr-and-eye-strain/, online in: https://www.nvisioncenters.com/ [08.02.2024].
3. n.A.: XR Today’s Guide to Stopping VR Motion Sickness, in: XR Today, 2023, https://www.xrtoday.com/mixed-reality/xr-todays-guide-to-stopping-vr-motion-sickness/, online in: https://www.xrtoday.com/ [08.02.2024].
4. n.a.: VR Design Principles, online in: https://viro-community.readme.io/docs/vr-design-principles [08.02.2024].

by ellen.dressler -

05 | Sustainability Challenges

In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the various European and international agreements, which I have examined in more detail in my last two blog posts, many challenges need to be overcome.
Environmental issues are inextricably linked to social and economic factors, as changes in one area will inevitably have a major impact on the others. (1)

Example of energy transition

The shift to renewable energy and the move away from fossil fuels are crucial to mitigating climate change. (2) However, this transition presents complex social and economic challenges. On the one hand, the energy transition promises a more sustainable future and a reduction in environmental impact through the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower (3).
On the other hand, job losses and economic restructuring in fossil fuel-based sectors could lead to social unrest and economic turmoil (4).
The socio-economic transition associated with the energy transition raises questions about how to protect jobs and maintain livelihoods in fossil fuel-dependent regions. Job losses in the fossil fuel industry could severely impact entire communities and cause social tensions (4).
Economic transformation also requires investment in new technologies and the retraining of workers. In addition, policies and economic incentives need to be put in place to ensure a just transition and support affected communities (5).

The path to a sustainable energy future therefore requires a balanced approach that takes into account both environmental goals and the needs of society and the economy. The development of social safety nets, investment in new areas of work and a socially just and comprehensive transition plan are crucial to meet the social and economic challenges of the energy transition.

However, tackling the challenges for a more sustainable future requires much more than just political action. It is undeniable that political decisions and legislation play a key role in shaping sustainable change. But relying on them alone cannot fully bring about the much-needed change. Rather, a more sustainable future requires comprehensive individual commitment and collective responsibility to tackle the most urgent environmental problems.

Individual Behavior

Individual behavior and consumption patterns play a significant role in environmental pollution and climate change, but also bring with them many challenges.
Energy waste, excessive consumption of resources and environmentally harmful consumer habits are just some of the factors that have a negative impact on the environment.

When it comes to energy consumption, every individual can make a contribution by using renewable energy, using energy more sparingly at home and at work and choosing energy-efficient appliances. However, the high cost of purchasing these items can be a barrier. In addition, converting to environmentally friendly alternatives often requires technical know-how or infrastructural changes that not every private individual can carry out independently.

There are also challenges when it comes to the mobility transition. The promotion of environmentally friendly means of transportation such as electric cars can be problematic due to still limited charging stations and high acquisition costs. Furthermore, especially in regions with poor public transport connections, the use of a private car is often essential. Sensible alternatives must first be created before a complete change in this area can be realistically implemented.

Concerning our purchasing behavior, we should fall back on sustainable products whenever possible. This applies to both food and other consumer goods such as clothing, furniture or household appliances. However, these are currently usually offered at higher prices than less sustainable alternatives, which makes access more difficult for the wider population.

Furthermore, it is fundamentally difficult to reach the entire population equally and raise awareness of the aforementioned issues.
To sum up, it is to say that the responsibility for sustainable change lies heavily with individuals, but must be supported by commitment and change at corporate, community and government level. This requires political will and well-coordinated, long-term action.

References

(1) European Environment Agency. (2023). Sustainability challenges. European Environment Agency. youmatter. Sustainability – What Is It? Definition, Principles and Examples. https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-sustainability-definition-examples-principles/

(2) Greenpeace. (2021). Kohleausstieg: Je schneller desto besser fürs Klima. Greenpeace. https://www.greenpeace.de/klimaschutz/energiewende/kohleausstieg

(3) Umweltbundestamt Österreich. (o. J.). Erneuerbare Energie. umweltbundesamt. https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/energie/erneuerbare-energie

(4) Lauro, I. (2022). Was bedeutet die Energiewende für die Zukunft der Arbeit? Schroders. https://www.schroders.com/de-at/at/finanzberater/insights/was-bedeutet-die-energiewende-fur-die-zukunft-der-arbeit/

(5) Europäischer Rechungshof. (2022). EU-Förderung für Kohleregionen: Begrenzte Ausrichtung auf den sozioökonomischen und energiewirtschaftlichen Übergang. https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/SR22_22/SR_coal_regions_DE.pdf