How VR Headsets Work Without Causing Motion Sickness
We're gonna take a peek at the way VR gadgets tick and the cool add-ons that make the feel-good vibes last, minus the motion sickness.
1. Getting Why VR Makes Heads Spin
Let's get why VR sometimes sends your stomach for a loop before we chat about headset tricks that keep queasiness at bay.
a) The Whys of Stomach-Churning in VR
When your eyes see something different from what your body feels, motion sickness kicks in. This can happen in VR because:
Your body stays put but the virtual world goes for a spin.
Your head moves but there's a wait time (latency) before the VR screen catches up.
Blurry or jerky images tend to occur when the refreshment frequency is not sufficient.
Because your eyes and body are out of sync, you are dizzy and off-balance since your brain is sending out false signals.
Motion Sickness: Which Types of Individuals Experience It?
People who get queasy in cars or on boats.
Newbies trying out VR for their first go-around.
People playing on the not-so-new VR gear that's got crummy refresh rates.
Alright, let's dig into the way today’s VR goggles are tackling motion sickness.
2. Quick Screen Updates and Snappy Responses
a) Fast Screen Refresh for Smooth Moves
The term 'refresh rate' is about the number of times the screen refreshes in a second.
Boosted refresh rates (90Hz - 120Hz or above) lead to smoother images, slicing down delay and blurring when stuff moves.
The old school VR headsets at 60Hz or less had a drag that could turn your stomach.
Example:
The Oculus Quest 2 busts out visuals at 90Hz, and fancy ones like the Valve Index go even wilder with up to 144Hz, which makes everything seem way more real.
b) Cutting Latency for Snappier Responses
The time it takes from when a person twirls their head to when the screen catches up is latency. A big gap can throw off the sync causing people to feel queasy.
VR devices now nail it with less than 20 milliseconds of latency, which makes everything seem super smooth.
They cut down on the lag with sharper motion sensors and slicker software.
3. Being Sharp with Movement and Knowing Where You Are
a) Full Movement Tracking with 6DoF
The latest VR kits have this cool feature called six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking. It's like they get how you're moving, whichever way you go:
Moving forward and backward
Going up and down
Shifting left and right
Spinning (rotating the noggin in various directions)
Such tracking ensures VR's movements are in sync with actual noggin rotations slashing the odds of feeling queasy.
b) Inside-Out vs. Outside-In Tracking
Inside-Out Tracking: The cameras on the VR face gear scope out the surroundings (like what you find on the Oculus Quest 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos).
Outside-In Tracking: Gizmos outside the area keep tabs on where the headgear's at (think old-school VR, like the first HTC Vive).
Rocking inside-out tracking tunes up the precision of your movements and nixes the need for extra gadgets giving you a more chill vibe when you're moving.
c) Getting a Handle on Hand Tracking and Controller Precision
VR hand controllers come packed with super tight tracking letting you get a solid grip on virtual interactions and making them seem even more lifelike. Lousy tracking's a total buzzkill, messes with your orientation, and, yikes, can make you feel all queasy with motion sickness.
4. Field of View and Peripheral Vision
a) Bigger Field of View (FOV) to See Like Normal
So check it out, our peepers take in about 180 degrees, but throw on a VR headset and some give you way less.
If your FOV's too slim, you're gonna feel like you're peeking through a keyhole, which is no fun at all.
But hey, the latest VR headsets are stepping up their game with an FOV that's between 100 to 130 degrees and trust me, it makes the whole VR thing feel way deeper, plus it keeps that woozy feeling at bay.
b) Stabilizing Side Vision
VR headsets make the edges of your sight a bit fuzzy just like your eyes do when they focus on something in front of you.
This cuts down on the blur when stuff moves and makes things comfier.
5. Next-Level Lens and Screen Tech
a) Fresnel Lenses for Crisper Pictures
VR goggles have these neat Fresnel lenses that give you a clear picture without the wonky shapes.
The old lenses made weird marks in your view, and that didn't feel too great.
b) Super Sharp Displays
You can spot pixels on low-res screens which is hard on the eyes because of the "screen door effect".
The latest VR goggles use 4K and OLED screens to make things look better and go easy on your eyes.
Example:
The "Meta Quest 3" has a screen better than 4K for sharp words and pictures.
6. Changing Frame Rates and Smoother Movements
a) Changing Refresh Speeds
VR setups change how fast the screen refreshes with how you move to keep it steady and easy to watch.
b) Making Movements Smooth and Filling in Gaps
Motion smoothing guesses the next move cutting down on jerky movements.
Frame interpolation slips in more frames to make things look buttery smooth.
7. Comfy Fits and Even Weight
a) Headsets That Won't Weigh You Down
Weighty VR headsets can be a drag after a while and might make you feel queasy.
The latest VR headsets get crafted to spread out the weight easing up on your head and mug.
b) Straps That Adjust and Cushy Bits
A tight fit keeps the headset steady and helps keep queasiness at bay.
The cushy stuff means you're good to go for a marathon gaming sesh.
8. Keeping Motion Sickness at Bay with Nifty Software and Clever Game Crafting
a) Jumping Instead of Walking in VR
VR games sometimes let you hop from one spot to another using "teleportation" movement instead of taking a stroll.
It cuts down on the weird feeling of moving without moving, which can make you feel less queasy.
b) Settings to Help Comfort
You can tweak things like "vignette mode" in lots of VR games making the edges of your view darker when you move to help with feeling less sick.
And if you want, you can change how fast you move until it feels right for you.
c) Short Goes at VR for Newbies
If you're just starting, go for quick VR tries, like 10-15 minutes tops, and work up from there.
Also, chill for a bit between goes to let your noggin get used to it all.
Wrapping It Up
Today's VR headsets bring together high refresh rates low latency better tracking sharper lenses, and genius software tricks to slash the risk of motion sickness.
By boosting the quality of motion tracking widening the field of view, and bumping up frame rates, VR tech promises users a comfy and super engaging time.
If you're just getting into VR, kick off with brief playtimes tweaking your setup, and picking teleportation for moving around to dodge feeling queasy. As this tech gets even slicker, we're bound to see headsets that step up the game with even silkier and more relaxing rides.
Thanks to these leaps, VR's getting easier for folks to jump into and way more fun! 🚀
