Assessing Simulator Sickness in a See-Through HMD: Effects of Time Delay, Time on Task, and Task Complexity

Abstract

Advances in helmet-mounted displays (HMDs) have permitted the design of see-through displays in which virtual imagery may be superimposed upon real visual environments. Such displays have numerous potential applications; however, their promise to improve human perception and performance in complex task environments is threatened by numerous technological challenges. Moreover, users of HMDs may be vulnerable to symptoms associated with simulator sickness. The primary objective of this investigation was to assess subjective ratings of simulator sickness as a function of time delay, time on task, and task complexity. Participants attempted to center a reticle over a moving circular target using a see-through HMD while concurrently performing a visual monitoring task displayed on a computer monitor. Results indicated that simulator sickness ratings varied directly with time on task, while performance efficiency and ratings of perceived mental workload were not mediated by this factor. Furthermore, the time delay manipulation that affected performance efficiency and operator workload did not generally influence SSQ ratings. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for practical implementation of see-through HMDs in multi-task environments.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA430344

Entities

People

  • Merry M. Roe
  • Rebecca M. Morley
  • Robert S. Bolia
  • W. T. Nelson

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Augmented Reality
  • Cognitive Systems Engineering
  • Cognitive Workload
  • Computer Graphics
  • Computers
  • Flight Simulators
  • Health Services
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Human Systems Integration
  • Human-Machine Interaction
  • Human-Machine Interfaces
  • Motion Sickness
  • Psychology
  • Simulations
  • Simulators
  • Virtual Reality

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).