Enhancing Comfort in Extended Reality: Understanding Nausea and Dizziness

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). As these technologies continue to advance, they are increasingly being used to assist individuals with visual impairments. However, one challenge users can face is experiencing nausea and dizziness. These symptoms are primarily caused by a mismatch between visual input and the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation. Imagine watching a movie with choppy scenes or trying to read a blurry book—such experiences can make users feel uncomfortable and queasy. Therefore, understanding and addressing the underlying factors is crucial for the long-term use and comfort of the wearer.

Peripheral Vision & Real World Connection

VR systems are known to cause more motion sickness compared to AR because users are fully immersed in a virtual environment that disconnects them from the real world. This immersion often leads to a sensory conflict between what the eyes perceive and what the body feels. For instance, in a VR environment, the eyes may see motion, such as moving forward or turning, but the inner ear, which controls balance and spatial orientation, does not detect the corresponding physical movement. This mismatch causes the brain to become confused, leading to symptoms of motion sickness such as nausea, dizziness, and vertigo.

In contrast, AR systems, like Eyedaptic’s EYE5, overlay digital information onto the real world, allowing users to maintain a connection with their physical surroundings. It integrates seamlessly with the user’s natural vision and is particularly important for individuals with visual impairments who rely on their peripheral vision to compensate for central vision loss.This makes AR much less likely to cause any unpleasant side effects.

Frame Rate and Latency

A built-in way to prevent nausea and dizziness is to have high frame rates and low latency. However, they are more important in VR than in AR. Imagining pictures flipping through an old photo album where the pages take a few seconds to respond each time you try to turn them—this delay can be quite disorienting. Research indicates that AR applications need to maintain a minimum frame rate of 15 frames per second (FPS) to ensure that the human eye perceives a video as continuous. Additionally, low latency, ideally below 20 milliseconds, ensures that the visual display keeps up with the user’s movements, minimizing the disconnect that can lead to discomfort. Higher latency can cause a lag between head movements and the visual response, inducing nausea.

Display Quality

The quality of the display is also very important in reducing visual strain and preventing nausea and dizziness. The higher pixel density allows your brain to process images faster and with less effort. On the other hand, a low pixel density may require you to be constantly adjusting your eye focus for each part of the screen. And this focus adjustment will strain your eye muscles over time. High-resolution displays help in providing clear and sharp images and low-resolution displays can cause pixelation, leading to eye strain and discomfort. 

Research has shown that higher-resolution screens significantly reduce accommodative lag, a key factor in digital eye strain. A study published in Review of Optometry found that higher resolution devices, such as those with Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) or higher, significantly reduced eye strain symptoms compared to lower resolution screens. 

Ergonomic Design

Wearing uncomfortable AR glasses is like putting on a pair of too-tight shoes. Just as tight shoes can cause blisters and sore feet, poorly designed AR glasses can lead to neck strain and headaches. Therefore, a good design should ensure that the glasses fit securely without being too tight, distributing weight evenly to avoid neck strain. Lightweight materials are preferred, as heavier glasses can cause fatigue over prolonged use. One of the key advantages of well-designed AR glasses compared to VR headsets is their lightweight construction. AR glasses are generally more lightweight and compact because they only need to overlay digital information onto the real world, using transparent lenses or small displays. In contrast, VR headsets require larger screens, lenses, and additional hardware to create a fully immersive environment, making them bulkier and heavier. Additionally, AR glasses can operate with smaller, or even remote, batteries due to lower power consumption needs, further reducing their weight.

Personalized Settings

Personalization options such as adjustable brightness, contrast, and color balance allow users to customize their viewing experience to their comfort levels. For instance, increasing contrast can help users with low vision see more clearly, while adjusting brightness can reduce glare and eye strain. 

The Eyedaptic Advantages

Eyedaptic’s AR glasses are designed with these critical factors in mind, combining the lightweight and ergonomic form factor of optical see-through glasses with the powerful processing capabilities of video see-through devices in the EYE5 model. This unique approach allows for a natural viewing experience, significantly reducing feelings of disorientation and nausea. Additionally, the EYE5 glasses incorporate autonomous algorithms for stabilization, adjustable brightness, contrast enhancement, and various other visual improvements tailored specifically for low vision users. These features make Eyedaptic’s products some of the most accessible and user-friendly AR devices available, empowering individuals with visual impairments to navigate their world with confidence and ease.

Sources:

• Review of Optometry: Higher resolution screens reduce accommodative lag and eye strain symptoms​ (Review of Optometry)​​
• Ophthalmology and Therapy: Comprehensive review of digital eye strain symptoms and resolutions​ (SpringerLink)​.
• Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Review on cybersickness reduction techniques and their effectiveness​ (Frontiers)​.
• Radiant Vision Systems: Discussion on the impact of frame rate, latency, and display quality on visual comfort in AR/VR devices​ (Radiant Vision Systems)​.