Effects of Opacity of Peripheral Real Scene and Field of View of Mixed Reality on Motion Sickness

Abstract

Mixed reality (MR) technology enables seamless transitions between virtual and real environments, but motion sickness (MS) remains an important barrier to widespread adoption. This study investigated how opacity of peripheral real scenes (OPRS) and field of view (FoV) affect MS symptoms in MR environments where dynamic virtual content is presented centrally while static real-world scenes remain visible peripherally. A between-subjects experiment was conducted with 120 participants experiencing a 10-minute roller coaster simulation in MR. The experiment employed a 4 x 3 factorial design with four OPRS levels (0, 0.25, 0.75, and 1) and three FoV levels (30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees). Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using electrocardiography (ECG) to assess physiological responses, and subjective MS was evaluated using the Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire (VRSQ). OPRS significantly influenced MS symptoms. Higher OPRS conditions showed increased sympathetic nervous system activation and decreased parasympathetic activity compared to lower OPRS levels, indicating heightened MS. FoV also showed significant effects, with the 90 degrees condition indicating reduced MS symptoms compared to 60 degrees. This finding is contrary to traditional VR studies, which generally report that narrower FoV reduce MS. No significant OPRS x FoV interactions were observed. These results indicate that carefully adjusting the ratio between virtual and real content visibility, particularly OPRS, is essential for developing comfortable MR interfaces.