• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Graduate Theses, Dissertations and Projects
    • Queen's Graduate Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Graduate Theses, Dissertations and Projects
    • Queen's Graduate Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    The Impact of Noisy Vestibular Stimulation on Self-motion Phenomena

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Thesis document (1.731Mb)
    Author
    Weech, Seamas
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Low immersion and sickness experienced in virtual reality (VR) are two important barriers that inhibit the widespread adoption of VR technology. Both are thought to relate to visual-vestibular mismatch. Recoupling multisensory cues can generate more convincing illusory self-motion (vection) and reduce sickness, but current methods rely on expensive or invasive techniques to simulate expected cues. According to a Bayesian framework of sensory integration, adding sensory noise may also reduce mismatch by changing sensory weights. This thesis explores this idea and proposes that ‘noisy’ vestibular stimulation presents an attractive solution to the above problems.

    I investigated the potential for improving VR experiences using two techniques that generate noise in the vestibular system. Rather than recoupling the senses, I aimed to encourage discounting of vestibular cues that are inconsistent with vision. In Chapter 2 I assessed the potential for improving immersion by measuring the effect of noisy vestibular stimulation (either bone-conducted vibration, BCV; or galvanic vestibular stimulation, GVS) on vection onset latency. I found a large reduction in vection latency when transient BCV or GVS were used at visual motion onset. The evidence suggests that a more compelling sensation of self-motion is achieved when sensory mismatch is reduced.

    In a second study I examined the extent to which sickness is reduced when BCV is applied during path navigation in a high-end VR display (Chapter 3). Results revealed lower sickness when transient noisy stimulation was applied. In a replication of this experiment I found that BCV reduced sickness to a similar extent when observers used a commercial head-mounted display.

    The results of Chapter 2 and 3 offer evidence that BCV reduces multisensory mismatch by down-weighting vestibular information according to Bayesian cue combination models. Given this context I also expected BCV to reduce self-motion sensitivity in a real-world movement discrimination task (Chapter 4). The results of a third study did not support my predictions, suggesting that the effects of noisy stimulation on self-motion may be more complex than previously considered.

    Together the findings give rise to a variety of opportunities for further testing of the technique, which are discussed in Chapter 5.
    URI for this record
    http://hdl.handle.net/1974/15969
    Collections
    • Department of Psychology Graduate Theses
    • Queen's Graduate Theses and Dissertations
    Request an alternative format
    If you require this document in an alternate, accessible format, please contact the Queen's Adaptive Technology Centre

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of QSpaceCommunities & CollectionsPublished DatesAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypesThis CollectionPublished DatesAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypes

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage StatisticsView Google Analytics Statistics

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV