Active Control of the Direction of Self-Motion by Head Movements and Vection Strength—The Comparison between the Virtual Driver and Virtual Passenger—

Abstract

We investigated the effect of controlling the direction of self-motion, induced by optical flow as the subject changed their head direction, on vection strength. We used a VR system that consisted of Google Cardboard and a smartphone. We set four conditions, two immersive conditions, i.e., immersive Virtual Driver condition and immersive Virtual Passenger condition and two Control conditions. The head movements could enhance vection strength. However, vection strengths between the Virtual Driver and Virtual Passenger were not significantly different. The stimuli afford the observers a very high sense of immersion: you can immerse yourself in vection.