9561266 Kennedy This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is concerned with developing a set of test procedures to evaluate aftereffects in connection with exposure of humans to virtual reality systems. Virtual reality (VR) technology is currently being designed for broad availability in many segments of society. There can be a downside to the compellingly realistic presence and self-motion afforded from VR systems. Aftereffects resembling symptoms of motion sickness can occur, some of which indicate disorientation and unsteadiness. Users of virtual reality systems are at risk of illness and injury both during exposure to virtual environments, and afterwards due to the occasional presence of long-term effects such as flashbacks, oculomotor disturbances, drowsiness and disturbed motor control. An R&D program is proposed to develop a battery of methods, tests, and procedures in order to identify: (a) VR systems expected to cause sickness in users, (b) specific equipment and usage characteristics that may be improved or modified, and (c) users who may be at particular risk of injury and/or sustained illness following exposure to a virtual environment. The proposed battery is intended for use primarily as a dependent variable, that is, to register the effects of exposure to simulated environments. Three tasks will be carried out in Phase I. The first effort will be to determine which tests should be included in the battery and how the various configurations can accommodate the individual tasks. The second task will be to determine the sensitivity and psychometric characteristics of the tests in the battery in order to obtain insights into difficulties to be encountered and overcome. The third will be to repeatedly administer a representative set of tests to individuals to determine the stability of the tests. This work will provide the foundation for the next phase of the research which will entail further validation of these tests and development of the algorithms whic h will make them saleable to VR system developers. A need exists for a methodological battery of tests which can be used by manufacturers of virtual environment systems to ensure that minimal risk is associated with use of virtual reality systems. The availability of such a battery of tests which could be employed to certify that particular virtual environment systems produce no ill effects to humans would be extremely valuable to manufacturers and users of such equipment either for research or commercial usage.
