Strategies for reducing motion sickness in virtual reality through improved handheld controller movements

Abstract

As technology advances, user demand for immersive and authentic information presentation rises. Traditional 2D displays and interactions fail to meet modern standards, while virtual reality (VR) is gaining attention for its immersive experience. However, using a controller for VR movement can cause dizziness due to mismatched visual and vestibular cues, impacting the VR experience. This paper analyzes the main causes of VR-induced vertigo and develops improved handheld controller movement strategies. These strategies adjust the user’s pitch angle and field of view in real time or map the user’s real-world head acceleration to the virtual character. By intelligently adjusting the controller-to-VR display mapping, these methods reduce vertigo. In addition, this paper also verified the actual effects of these designs through a series of experiments, and conducted detailed data analysis on the degree of user vertigo. The experimental results showed that using a specific improved handheld controller movement design can significantly improve the user’s comfort in the VR environment, effectively reducing the occurrence of vertigo and discomfort.