Comparing the Effect of Airflow Direction on Simulator Sickness and User Comfort in a High-Fidelity Driving Simulator

Igoshina, Elizaveta; Russo, Frank A.; Haycock, Bruce; Keshavarz, Behrang · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-06015-1_15

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Summary

This study investigates whether the direction of airflow affects simulator sickness and user comfort in a high-fidelity driving simulator. Simulator sickness, characterized by symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and sweating, compromises user well-being and biases driving performance data. While previous research indicated that airflow could reduce motion sickness in passive observers, its efficacy in active driving tasks and its relationship with body temperature remained unclear. The authors hypothesized that direct airflow contacting the driver’s skin would be more effective at reducing sickness by counteracting the subjective feeling of warmth often associated with sickness onset, and that simulator sickness would correlate with a decrease in body temperature. The experiment employed a between-subjects design with 23 healthy adult participants randomly assigned to either a direct airflow condition (vents directed at the head and torso) or an indirect airflow condition (vents directed at the ceiling). Participants completed a 25 km simulated drive using the DriverLab simulator, which features a full-sized car and a 360° visual field. Simulator sickness was monitored in real-time using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS) and assessed post-drive using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). Objective measures included infrared forehead temperature readings and continuous facial skin temperature monitoring via a thermistor. Subjective perceptions of temperature and comfort were recorded before and after the drive. Results indicated no significant difference in simulator sickness levels between the direct and indirect airflow conditions. However, airflow direction significantly impacted thermal metrics. Body temperature decreased significantly post-drive only in the indirect airflow group, while facial skin temperature was lower in the direct airflow group. Subjectively, participants in the direct airflow condition perceived their body temperature as cooler and reported higher comfort levels compared to those in the indirect condition. No significant correlations were found between changes in body or facial skin temperature and simulator sickness severity. The findings suggest that while airflow direction does not mitigate simulator sickness, it influences thermal comfort. Indirect airflow was associated with higher subjective comfort and less oculomotor discomfort, making it the preferable setting for driving simulation studies. The lack of sickness reduction in the direct condition may be attributed to excessive airflow intensity causing irritation. The study concludes that indirect airflow offers a better user experience without compromising sickness levels, though further research is needed to determine optimal airflow intensities and to include no-airflow control conditions.

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Topics

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• simulator sickness
• simulator validity fidelity
• passenger motion sickness comfort

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• Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics, tool software