Thesis Project Form

If an observer is in motion, or vice versa if 3D objects are moving around him, then characteristic patterns of optic flow (OF, i.e. the apparent motion of the image brightness pattern over the image plane) arise. In immersive VR, the influence of the OF impinging the retinas and elaborated by the visual cortex is confirmed by HMD producers, who suggest to avoid an intensive display of visual flow while developing VR applications.

The thesis has the main goal of understanding the influence of visual motion (i.e. OF) in the motion sickness (MS) perceived by the users, also with respect to the actions performed by the user himself. The main outcome will be the characterization of MS with respect to the pattern of optic flow of the stimuli presented to a static and passive observer. Such a characterization will also take into account the kind of considered visualization system (monitor, immersive VR, AR). From this characterization we expect to be able to predict MS, and to minimize its effects by subtracting the component of visual flow that most affect the users. Moreover, the influence of the users’ action inside the VR/AR environments on MS will be analyzed.

1)To analyze the state of the art of motion perception in the human brain
2)To implement a set of stimuli to be presented in VR, which replicate the pattern of optic flow and the selectivity found in MST area. Both synthetic and natural stimuli will be taken into account.
3)To build a model that describe MS with respect to the displayed pattern of optic flow.